Greetings to all!
When I first read this fic. I thought to myself that MuginoxTouma would be impossible for me to ship. I guess Ican't say that anymore.—Majin Othinus
Comments like these make me proud to be the Captain of the KamiGino Ship.
Time, in essence, is something that is both fickle and precious.
It's fickleness lies in how, some days, it tends to pass either at a sluggish or rapid pace. Generally speaking it varied from person to person as well as the proceedings that said individuals were currently engaged in. Supplementary lessons, for example, felt like they dragged on forever and yet the time off from school would end almost as quickly as it began. Vexing to a large majority, so much so that the value of time itself was often lost. We do not think about it very often but those moments in life that we, as people, come the cherish are worth every moment spent.
Because, after they pass, they are gone.
All of those moments are swept away in the ever flowing stream of time.
Whisked away to make room for the present and thus become mere memories to reflect on at a later time.
Technology in Academy City may have, somewhere at least, created a machine to allow one the means to re-experience those precious moments. But at the end of the day, when the operator steps away and the machine is turned off, we must face the bitter truth. Reality stands in the present and the present can be far too harsh and unkind to some. On that note, perhaps it would be for the best for such technology to not exist. Otherwise the inhabitance may come to forget what it means to live in reality and put more emphasis on living in that delusional dream.
An interesting little thought but otherwise irrelevant to the story at large. What is relevant to the story at large is time; and it was 3:23pm to be exact.
Why was this relevant?
"..."
Because Kinuhata Saiai could not keep herself from periodically glancing at clock on her phone; that's why.
Classes had been dismissed roughly two hours ago. So it stands to reason that most of the populace was moving about for the sake of indulging in their early time off. Which meant that there was an abundance of crowds as pre-usual roaming about the walkways. Unlike most sessions throughout our story, Kinuhata was not among the crowd or even navigating her way through it. In fact she was perfectly out of the way from it all, standing by her lonesome at the corner of the street.
Clearly she was waiting for someone, given that she had her back against the nearest building's wall.
Trained eyes were watching the crowds, waiting, expecting to see a flash of something familiar to dance along her vision. Many faces blurred passed her with some going faster than others. She paid them as much mind as they paid her; which varied depending on who's attention she caught. It was mid-day, so the threat of some gruff looking fellow trying to hit on her out in the open like this was slim to none. That was one positive aspect to be had in this particular circumstance. Aside from that one pleasantry, nothing else about the situation appealed to her in a positive way.
She was still stuck here waiting and the longer she waited the more impatient she became.
As indicated by the light tapping of her foot as she spared her phone another glance.
Only one minute had passed since she last looked.
"This is taking super long." The girl's huffy remark was made as she took to stuffing her phone back into her pocket before promptly crossing her arms over her flat-tering chest. "At this rate I'll be lucky if I only miss the first three minutes."
One must remember that the Dark May Survivor's extracurricular activities did not always involve violence. Beyond of the occasional (if more recent) bout of stalking, Kinuhata had a genuine love for movies. Specifically those that were not produced by Hollywood. Independent movies, or B-grade movies as she preferred to call them, were more her forte. Mainly due to the thrill of finding that diamond in the rough among the mass of garbage that oversaturated the market. It was like a game, a game she was intent on winning, and thus it became hobby when she was 'off the clock' so to speak.
Which was where the current issue lay.
The movie in which she wanted to see had an age requirement that she did not meet. Knowing that they would card her the second she showed her face meant that she had to go above and beyond to view it. Most people would have just given up on the matter, but not her. This was important since, after today, it would be removed from theaters. Meaning that this was her only chance and she could not afford to miss out on it. No petty age restrictions were going to keep her from seeing it either.
Hence why she was there; watching the crowds and waiting for a certain someone to appear.
It did not matter that she had to wait there for ten minutes or sixty; she would wait for as long as she needed to.
"I still can't believe it took you almost an hour to get ready." Despite the familiarity of this voice, it was not the one Kinuhata was expecting to hear on this particular day. "Here I thought you were just gonna change clothes. But instead you take a shower, put makeup on, and then change clothes."
"Yeah and your point is?" Yet another voice, one of greater familiarity, also succeeded in gartering her full attention."All girls do these things before they go out on a date. It's normal, so what makes me any different?"
Kinuhata's vision soon found itself look at the most recent gaggle of people who stood waiting to pass the intersection via the crosswalk. Within that crowd, in the thick of it all, was a familiar spiky mass of black hair that had become unmistakable. Him again, Kamijou Touma, only this time it seemed he was not garbed in his usual bland school uniform. It being replaced with a more casual set of attire that made him blend in easier with the horde of people surrounding him. At least that would have been the case had he not been in the company of her esteemed, tyrannical, leader.
Thankfully Kinuhata was on Touma's left side.
Those who pay attention to detail will, by now, note that Mugino preferred latching on to his right side.
That factor may very well have been the reason why the Meltdowner had not noticed the fellow ITEM member sitting off to the side. Or perhaps having been absorbed into the throng of people made it hard to see anything that was not in her immediate peripheral. There was also the possibility that she was too engrossed in the conversation with her lover to take note of anything that did not immediately jump out and grab her attention. Truth be told there were a lot of factors in play that could explain why Kinuhata's presence went unnoticed.
To some extent the younger girl was grateful.
"Nothing, it's just I've never actually seen you 'get ready' for most of our dates. Usually we just meet up and go; so it's new to me seeing you take so long."
"Says the boy who almost always shows up late for one reason or another."
"Mhn...nope." For some reason, Kamijou shook his head after a brief pause of thought. "I've got nothing, no excuses, just misfortune."
That counts as an excuse, Kamijou-san.
A justified one, yes, but an excuse nonetheless.
Apparently Mugino was irked by that remark by some margin. Kinuhata herself could not see it, but she did see the boy's body lurch to the left unexpectedly. Best assumption she could come up with, based on past experiences, was that the girl had elbow jabbed him in the ribs. Shortly after this the light to crosswalk changed color and the flow of pedestrian traffic started to shuffle along like sheep being guided by a sheppard. This included the likes of Touma and Shizuri as they progressed towards their own destination.
It was at this point, however, that Kinuhata realized she too was in the thick of the crowd.
Apparently she had been acting on some subconscious level to eavesdrop on the conversation being had by the couple. Her recently installed 'Stalking Mode' had been engaged the second she caught sight of the two together. And since she and the others had taken a break to let the tension cool down, her body reacted based on those past experiences. In the simpler terms; she was itching to see how this affair of theirs had progress since the last time she saw them together.
Conversely she did have her own plans set in motion for today. By all accounts she was off the clock; no jobs or other obligations were in play for today. Based on that logic, Kinuhata should be spending her precious free time in the manner she deemed best. Stalking Mugino and her lover boy was as close to being work as her late night activities were. Regardless of if she was getting paid for it or not, work was still work and she had no desire to work today. Especially since she had already made plans in regards to how she would spend her day off.
"Ignore it Kinuhata Saiai; just super ignore it~" Yes, Kinuhata, delude yourself into thinking that you do not care; because that usually works. "You have better things to do with your day. Don't think about it, don't worry about it, and just go about your business like normal."
"By the way, where in the hell did you manage to hide all that stuff without me noticing? You'd think I would've seen at least some of your stuff laying around at my dorm."
Mhm, yup, totally did not hear any of that!
"It's a female secret, don't worry about it." Do not dismiss it so casually Mugino-san! Those are critical details that we must know! "Now come on, we're only a few blocks away from reaching the cinema."
Whatever retort that was sure to follow that statement got drowned out by the surrounding pedestrians as the two carried on their way with the crowd. Not that anything that was sure to follow that line would have amounted to much importance. Mugino's last words, however, did hold a significant degree of Kinuhata's interest. The reason being quite obvious; their destination had now been disclosed. She knew where they were going, knew quite well in fact because that was her destination as well.
Convenient?
Yes, it most certainly was.
More so due to the fact that, within the specified parameters Mugino had mentioned, there was only one around. She knew this, she had previously looked for more and found no others around this particular area. So she knew where they were going and it was a case of pure coincidence that allowed their fate's to intertwine in such a way. Poetic as that last bit sounded, none would deny that there truly was not a better way to word it.
"...it super doesn't count as stalking if I 'accidently' bump into them at the theater..." Rationalize it as much as you want Kinuhata; but it still counts as stalking. "...at least that would be the case if that idiot wasn't taking so long to—"
Whatever words she was about to utter died in her throat as her eyes once again took in her surroundings. In doing so, her eyes caught sight of a particular boy nestled within the masses. His dull looking face and overall garb made him seem like your typical everyman. However there stood two things that made him stand out from the rest of the flood of people. One being his unruly blonde hair and the second being how painful on the eyes he was to look at. Overall he looked like your typical hoodlum who was way out of his element.
And of course he had yet to see her; instead he was gazing off towards the crosswalk. His dumb face scrunched up in a way that made him appear perplexed about something. That or he was constipated; it was hard for Kinuhata to tell the difference. Regardless, the Dark May Survivor wasted no time in making her approach towards the taller lad; her face stony and devoid of many emotions. And it was during this approach that he must have noticed her from his peripheral vision because his postured suddenly stiffed once he came to fully face her.
"H-hey, Kinuhata, what's with that look your giving me!? I-if you're mad about me taking so long I can expla—ah! Leggo of me, Kinuhata!"
No warnings, just actions; that was the approach Kinuhata had employed in this particular moment. Having reached up and grabbed a handful of the boy's hair she proceeded to carry on towards the crosswalk before it changed colors. Completely ignoring the looks and cries coming from bystanders and the 'victim' alike.
"You're super coming with me."
"Ow-ow-ow! It hurts, it hurts; stop it and lemme go!" The poor boy writhed as he was practically dragged along behind the shorter girl like a uncooperative dog on a leash. "T-they're staring, people staring and judging me! Please, Kinuhata, for the sake of what dignity I've got left just stoooooop!"
Suffice to say Hamazura Shiage's dignity took yet another bullet to the chest that day.
And, in all likelihood, it would be the first of many soon to follow.
Just as specified, in less than a couple blocks the sight of the local cinema gradually came into sight. It's stature was not as grand or as big as it would be certain other distracts in Academy City. Nor was this one in particular fashioned with the most sophisticated technology that could be produced by the city. It was your typical, average, movie theater with overpriced snacks and drinks; nothing more. Though that was the redeeming quality of this particular place. It's easier accessibility compared to the more technologically advanced and stylish theaters was what truly kept it in business.
Plus the tickets here were much cheaper than the aforementioned establishments.
"Woah, usually it isn't this crowded during the day; wonder if something is going on."
Kamijou was not wrong as it was more common for folk to migrate here during the evening hours; not in the late afternoon. Although 'crowded' was a term that was used loosely in this setting. It was not quite packed to the brim with long lines and such. But there were still more people here than what one would come to expect given the time of day.
"Probably just a bunch of bored classmates who had nothing better to do with their half-day." Theorized Mugino, seemingly unfazed by the mildly large influx of traffic the cinema was seeing at the moment. "Summer vacation is right around the corner. Lots of students spend their vacation outside the city to visit family and such. So it's likely that clusters of those people are choosing to spend these last few days with their friends before they leave."
"That makes sense, I'm guessing a lot of your classmates are doing that too?"
"Couldn't tell you, I'm not particularly close with many of my peers." The straightforward response was accompanied by a careless shrug of the shoulders. "In any case, lets hurry before we get stuck sitting behind a group who can't keep their fuckin' mouths shut."
Having nothing else to add, Kamijou set his pace to catch up with the girl formerly clutching his arm. He was only a few paces behind her and their hands were still firmly interlocked. Only after Mugino's shoes clapping against the pavement ceased to be heard did Kinuhata advance forward. She had not forgotten the instance where she had been observing the two back at the Dianoid. Hard to forget incident which almost got her caught by the individual she was supposed to be shadowing. In that respect she understood how unwise it would be to be too daring when it came to stalking them.
"I need to find out which movie those two are gonna see." Oh no, not this gag again. "But I can't get risk getting super close to them either or I'll be noticed."
You did not think that far ahead when you decided to start stalking these two again, did you Kinuhata-san?
That is a very Frenda-like mistake you just made; which is super not like you.
"What two are you talking to yourself about?" Shiage asked from behind her, combing his hand over the spot the girl had previously been tugging at earlier. This, however, wrong choice of action considering he witnessed something that made his eyes widen. "W-wait, is-is that...that's hair, I have hair falling out! Did you really pull so hard that they came out from the roots!? Am I seriously gonna have bald spot on my head from this!?"
"Quit being a super baby about it; it'll grow back...maybe."
Can you at least look him in the eye as you lie to his face!?
Hair loss at sixteen is pretty big deal you know!
"Anyway, go get in line and get us some tickets."
"Why in the hell do I have to do it!? Did you literally drag me along just so you wouldn't have to pay for your crappy movie!?"
Under any other circumstance, Kinuhata would not have been caught dead being around Hamazura for any extended period of time. At any other time, this display of disobedience would have been met with a rather harsh punishment. Suffice to say, however, that they were both making some sacrifices today. Because she did not go through the motions to perform an Offense Armor-style denki anma right then and there. Whether or not she would follow up on that at a later time was anyone's guess. Nonetheless, Kinuhata was not about to take backtalk at this stage of the game.
And she made sure to convey that message once she finally set her sights on him.
"Super Hamazuuurrrraaa..."
...taking bets now!
Thousand yen says the denki anma happens later!
"Okay, okay, fine I'm going!" Apparently Shiage caught on to the fact that she was not asking him to do this. It did not stop him from grumbling to himself as he briskly walked off though. "Is this what I'm reduced to now? It's bad enough I've gotta be their errand boy. But now I've gotta shell out money from my pocket for their hobbies? At this rate they'll probably make me dress up as some stuffed animal and make me dance for the fun of it."
Little moments like these were where it paid off to be a Level 4 Esper. Especially when your Dark Side Organization's lackey is utterly powerless against you. On a side note, his grumblings did conjure up a mental image in the Stealthy Stalker's mind. That indeed would be an amusing sight to behold. Maybe she should pitch that suggestion to Mugino and the others to see what they thought about it? A little bit of trauma builds character and it could serve to be a lesson in humility.
Future humiliation aside, there was a solid reasoning behind this action. One that went beyond getting a free ticket to the movie of choice. Having taken to keeping herself as far out of sight as possible, Kinuhata kept a close eye on the blonde lackey as he entered the line. But her focus was not on him, rather the couple who was in front of him. Only after reaching that point did it appear that Shiage realized just who he was standing behind. Based on his stupid facial expression morphed into that of painfully obvious surprise.
Here was the moment in which Hamazura would come to realize why he was here. It was also at this point that he felt the vibrations of his phone going off in his pocket; to which he retrieved and answered.
"Hello?"
"Hamazura, for once in your life, don't super screw this up." Well that's a rude way to start a phone conversation. "I want you to try and listen out for what movie those two are going to see. After you find out what they're seeing, buy some tickets for the same movie."
...oh...
It seemed she did think a bit further ahead than we originally believed.
Not bad.
"What's this all about Ki-"
"Don't say my name out loud you super idiot!"
"Why; you're not making any sense to me!" The temptation to go over and beat the boy senseless was strong; but she persevered. Shiage, at least, kept his voice down as he complained. "Is this why you literally dragged me along with you? So I can spy on these two going out to the movies?"
"Shhh!"
"Don't 'shush' me; tell me what the hell's going on!"
Despite his hissed protests Kinuhata remained silent as she took to focusing on the voices speaking in the background. Muffled as they were, she could still faintly make out a few broken pieces of their conversation. Disgruntled as he appeared, Hamazura was smart enough to not immediately hang up when she refused to respond. To further credit his intelligence, he took to keeping his back to the pair in front of him; shifting his phone to where the receiver was more aligned towards them. All-in-all, he took to playing the part of your typical teen being lectured over the phone quite well.
In fact the look suited him.
Undoubtedly because it was not too far from the norm for him.
"It doesn't look like we made it in time." It was too dim to make out the finer details in Kamijou's tone here. So instead Kinuhata just had to assume that he was disappointed by this knowledge. "We can still get tickets and such, but we'll be missing the first ten to fifteen minutes of the movie."
Someone was doing a good job at staying positive.
"Tch, if I'm going to buy tickets at full price then I plan to watch the entire thing." Too bad Mugino did not share the sentiment. For her, Kinuhata hardly needed to assume much; pretty sure it was clear what emotions the older girl felt at the moment. "The next showing is at four-thirty, which means we would have almost half an hour's worth of time to kill."
"It doesn't look like there's much for us to do around here though. I'm not against just walking around or anything but I'd also like to spend that time doing something fun."
Kinuhata could see him momentarily shifting his head from side to side; searching for something. Nothing specific, just something within the immediate vicinity that could maintain him and his date's interest for a prolonged period of time. While there were a few places that had potential to do just that, they did not appear to cater to him personally.
"True, there isn't much around here to do besides the theater." Seemed that said places did not provide much entertainment for Mugino either. To be fair, her tastes were on a much higher standard than most people. All the more reason why it was odd to find her here of all places. "I'm sure as hell not going to those money robbing arcade games this place has either."
"You only say that because you're bad at them."
"...give me a Skee ball table and I'll show you who's bad, smartass."
Kinuhata could have been mistaken based on the proximity of the receiver and the speaker in question. Again, she could only faintly make out what they were saying and such factors like tone were hard to determine. But for some reason the stalker had the impression that there was some measure of pride in that last remark. Easily something that could be her own imagination, yet all the same dismissing the notion entirely was ill advised. Mugino Shizuri had proven to be a stark contrast to the one Kinuhata was familiar with when in the presence of Kamijou Touma.
But really, Skee-ball?
Truly, who would have thunk it?
Then again, probably the only reason she liked that was because she was good at it. Guess that meant that the young woman had yet another title added to her list of monikers. Mugino Shizuri, The Meltdowner, and now Skee Ball Champion.
We all envy her greatness.
"Say, Shizuri, this movie was something you picked on a whim, right?"
"...why?"
Kamijou did not immediately reply, or at least not loud enough for Kinuhata to hear. His head was fixated on the many movie posters on display for the films current playing. Each one was well illuminated and displayed in two rows along the same wall. The cinema was pretty big, all things considered, so it had enough theaters to support at least six to eight different films. While it was clear he was looking over the selection, she could not indicate which ones he was focusing on.
"I was thinking, since our first choice was a bust, we could always go see something else."
The line started to move and everyone in it shuffled forward as the next batch of people moved up to the teller. With only one employee at the register, it was understandable why it was taking so long. As far as the couple was concerned, they were only a few quick transactions away from their turn. So if they were planning to see something different they would have to make a decision soon. Otherwise they would be holding up the line as more teens soon gathered behind Hamazura.
"All the other ones I saw didn't catch my eye, to be honest." Responded Mugino in what Kinuhata had to guess was disinterest. "But it beats doing nothing for half an hour, so I guess it couldn't hurt. Which one do you have in mind?"
"...how 'bout that one?"
As Kinuhata watched on from a distance, she could make out Hamazura risking a glance over his shoulder. Shortly thereafter she heard him make a peculiar noise through the receiver; something that sounded like a gag being poorly disguised as a cough. Had she not been so afraid of missing out on what the couple were saying she might have commented on it. Instead her eyebrow raised as the interest that started to brew threatened to boil over. Fortunately her brimming curiosity would soon be quenched when Mugino's head inclined upward before abruptly going still.
"You can't be fucking serious."
Apparently, Mugino did not approve of the boy's selection. Something which was quickly addressed by said boy shortly after the remark was made.
"What?"
"That looks like something a friend of mine would go and see."
It should be depressing to note that those words instantly made the stalker realize what they were discussing. Sadder still was the fact that Kinuhata knew which 'friend' she was speaking about in that particular moment. It obviously had to be Kinuhata herself who Mugino was referring to and that knowledge practically made her eyes sparkle with barely repressed glee. Now there stood one question that needed to be asked: should that statement have been taken as a compliment or an insult?
"Really?"
"Yes and that's not a good thing, Kamijou."
Well at least that answers the narrative question.
"Oh come on Shizuri it can't be that bad." Touma would never know how loudly Kinuhata was internally rooting for him at this moment. "Even if it is, we can still get a laugh or two out of it. Bad movies can be just as funny as your standard slap-stick comedy."
"I'll let that one slide Kamijou." At this stage Saiai had unknowingly started to broadcast her thoughts; which Shiage heard clear as day. "Keep pushing, don't relent, you must convince her to go see it!"
Seems Kinuhata-san has gotten business and pleasure mixed up.
Was she even planning to stalk them at this point?
"I'd rather not pay for a movie I know is gonna be shit." Oi, those are fighting words Mugino-san. "If you wanna see it that bad, go see it on your own time; not ours."
"Then let's compromise, we see this and I'll cover the cost for a dinner of your choice."
Kamijou, what are you doing!? Are you aware of what you are even saying right now!? Do you not understand that your wallet loves you and cares for your personal wellbeing!? Think rationally for a moment and realize that you are setting yourself up for poverty!
"Come on, come on, come oooooon!"
Shut up Kinuhata!
We all know your motives are selfish!
"...are you absolutely sure you want to see this?" Touma, the glorious bastard he was, merely shrugged his shoulders in indifference. The wait for her retort had been long and held with bated breath until an eventual sigh was heard. "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you. Just know I'll be holding you to that promise Kamijou; I don't expect to hear any complaints either."
From that point on, all she could make out were the chuckles coming from the spiky haired boy. If she cared enough, she would have been able to deduce they were of the anxious sort rather than heartfelt amusement. Fact of the matter was that Kinuhata did not care enough to try and come to that conclusion. She was far too busy celebrating the same boy's success in swaying Mugino's opinion. If the circumstances had been different, she probably would have hugged him with enough force to snap his spine. As things stood now, however, she could do no such thing and thus she decided to wrap things up.
She had gotten the information she wanted, so there was no point in wasting any more battery life on her phone.
"I'll meet you inside once you super get the tickets."
"Huh, wait a-!?"
Anything Hamazura may have had left to say was abruptly cut off as Kinuhata ended the call.
With groan of resignation, Hamazura snapped his phone shut whilst shooting the poster one last look as the line once again shuffled forward. Honestly the only reason he knew of this movie's existence was because Kinuhata had been going on about for days. The basic synopsis for it was that it was about a corpse of some high priest coming back from the dead to rekindle the love between him and an old flame. But apparently that lover of his died a decade earlier; so instead of carrying on to the afterlife it went for their lover's kin.
There was just one problem: the kin in question turned out to be a high school teenage boy.
Controversy aside, it sounded like it would make for a pretty decent comedy. Yet the film's poster painted a very different picture compared to the summery which the movie provided to the audience. On said poster was some boy's face locked in a scream with a transparent husk of a human corpse looming over his shoulder in the background. If the image alone was not a big enough give-away, then the small text near the bottom reading 'Psychological Horror' surely did the job. By looking at the poster alone one could determine that the production costs looked remarkably cheap.
What originally caught his eye, and what still did at this very moment, was its queer title.
"...I don't get it, what kinda horror flick is this?" Befuddled, Hamazura had no one but himself to ask; scratching his scalp and ignoring the flakes of hair that crossed his vision. "HighHubb...seriously what the hell were they thinking? What the hell does 'hubb' even stand for!?"
Seriously!?
Of all the things described here, that is the part you choose to comment on?
"That's the last time I let you pick a fuckin' movie."
Mugino Shizuri, Skee-ball Champion and Level 5 Meltdowner, was undoubtedly peeved when she made that proclamation. An hour and thirty minutes, that was ninety minutes of her life spent that she would not be getting back. Seventeen hundred yen now down the drain, plus other expenses like popcorn and drinks, that had been wasted. Wasted on a movie that she had no interest in seeing in the first place. Such frustration was what led to her briskly traversing along the sidewalk leading away from the theater.
Most people had the right idea to move out of her way.
"C'mon Shizuri, it wasn't that bad." Kamijou weak retort was met only with a scuff as his lover's pace increased; making it harder for him to catch up. "Okay, fine, it was bad and I knew it was gonna be; but you have to admit it was funny at some points. Haven't you heard of something being so bad that it's good? You must've heard about some of those movies that end up going full circle like that, right?"
"Don't you fuckin' try and put a positive spin on this, Kamijou." Yeesh, no need to be so snappy Mugino; the overall cost was basically a drop in the bucket for you. "Honestly, why would anyone in their right mind watch a movie that's obviously shit?"
Good question.
Why would anyone willing watch something that was terrible?
"She has a point you know." Some distance away, another individual added his two yen on the subject; albeit with his not-as-friendly traveling companion. "You've explained it to me before and I still can't wrap my head around why you drool over stuff like that."
Neither can we.
Chalk it up to some people having strange hobbies.
"You wouldn't know the difference between a super quality gem from a pile of garbage. You're a lost cause and your opinion isn't worth super squat to begin with, so shut up."
You are tearing him apart Kinuhata.
Stop it!
To be fair Kinuhata was the (ahem) expert in all manner of B-grade movies. Even then she was largely disappointed by the film in question herself. She of course had a much better appreciation for it than the crowd she was with and currently stalking. However, it did not change the fact that it was still a bad experience for all parties involved. Kinuhata admitted that much, to herself mostly, but hearing the Meltdowner gripe about it was grating her nerves just a little bit. Let it be stressed that it was only a little bit; as in just enough to skirt the threshold of inflicting violence on the nearest living thing around her.
Essentially, yes, that meant hitting Hamazura to alleviate her stress.
Thankfully (for him) it had not (yet) reached that point.
"I dunno, seeing that disturbed look on your face was pretty hilarious." Mugino actually slowed down a bit, but not because of what he said. She was just getting tired of moving at such a rapid pace was all. "Then there was that time when you buried your face into my neck. That one kinda surprised me since I didn't think the scene itself was all that scary."
"Because it wasn't, dumb ass! I just couldn't stand looking at the cheap practical effects and overacting anymore."
"You're one of those people who think CGI is better than cosmetics." Hissed Saiai, valiantly struggling against the urge to scream out her objections. "Can't she tell that the effects were done like that on super purpose to keep the tone consistent?"
Seeing Kinuhata biting the cuff her sleeve in anger, Hamazura wisely kept his mouth shut.
Careful, he's learning.
Back with the couple, Kamijou must have grown skeptical in regards to his girlfriend's move recent response. There was little proof to support this aside from his hand being raised to his chin.
"Are you trying to cover up how you were-"
"No and if you finish that train of thought I'll smack the shit out of you."
"Relax, I'm just messing with you." Admitted the boy, both hands raised in a gesture of surrender; despite Mugino keeping her back to him. Although that did not stop certain degree of mirth from slipping out. "And yeah, you're right, the effects were pretty cheesy. I think they only wanted to keep the budget costs down. But you have to admit a few of those scenes with the bad acting were pretty funny though."
Kamijou was probably the only person in the vicinity to believe so. Meanwhile, some odd distance away, Kinuhata had since ripped off the piece of her sleeve she had been biting down on. Worse yet was that she was already moving in with the intent to suplex the spiky haired youth. Her frustration at their combined ignorance being the sole motivation behind her risking the wrath of Mugino herself. It just so happened that Touma was the last person to speak which made her target him specifically. Alas the only thing stopping her from doing so, that which stood in her way from carrying out this task, was Hamazura.
"Kinuhata, you're dragging me; you're dragging me along the asphalt!"
So basically no one.
"I didn't find anything about what I just saw to be funny, Kamijou." Reminded the girl as the aforementioned teen finally caught up to her. "All I saw was a god-awful movie with shit acting, shit effects, and a shitty waste of time."
Language Mugino-san!
This story has a T (subject to change) rating, remember?
"Oi, Kinuhata, pleeease don't do something you're gonna regret later!"
Apparently Hamazura got himself caught in the moment. He may have had no idea why the younger girl was stalking the two. Hell he did not even realize why he chose to accompany her once the movie was done. Nevertheless he was essentially her accomplice at this point. Therefore, if she were to be caught, then by default so would he. And between the two of them it was more likely that he would suffer more than Kinuhata would. Mugino was just as prone to picking on him as the rest of the girls of ITEM were.
So yeah, he was not about risk getting himself screwed over by Kinuhata's reckless actions.
"I'm telling you, relax, you're taking this whole thing way too seriously." His attempt at reassurance was met with a cold shoulder, prompting him to sigh and scratch at the back of his scalp. "Listen, I'm sorry okay? Next time we'll just find something else to kill time with. Doesn't matter what it is, I'm sure it'll be much better than how this turned out."
"You're damn right it will be. Really, Kamijou, what in the hell were you thinking?" In spite of the fact that she was mildly upset, Mugino was at least willing to look at him now. Some would consider that a mark of improvement. "Sometimes I don't know what goes through that spiky head of yours."
"You sure it's only sometimes? Because I'm pretty sure you aren't the only one." His jest earned him a jab to the ribs courtesy of his girlfriend's elbow; which he taken in stride. "In all seriousness, I don't know what I was thinking; maybe I was looking for something a little less normal."
There was no mistaking it now, Shizuri's mood was indeed improving bit by bit. The proof was in her chuckles which caught the interest of those paying attention, Touma included.
"That's rich coming from the guy who enjoys his minimalist lifestyle."
"Hey now, being mediocre is great and all but even I like to spice things up a bit every now and then." Touma's rebuke did not quell Mugino's quiet laughter; though it would not come as a surprise to anyone that he no such intent. "As long as it's not too exciting, I don't mind breaking away from the norm you know. But I don't want to have that sorta 'exciting' lifestyle where I'm being chased around by some flying mummy that's professing its love for me. Nope, sorry, no thank you; I'm more than happy to miss out on the night terrors caused from that experience! Knowing my luck and being a resident of this city, it would be me who ends up in that situation."
Both observers could see how his body shook from that thought as chills ran up and down his spine.
Surely such a specific turn of events is unlikely to occur, right?
...
Let us hope, for Kamijou's sake, such an experience never comes to pass.
On the plus side, Mugino's laughter picked up by a noticeable margin. Not enough to be full blown laughter but enough for others to tell that she found his comments amusing. Strange considering neither Saiai nor Shiage found what he said to be all that funny. Although righteous fury and overwhelming panic respectively may have been the culprits behind the lack of response there.
"I know what you're doing, but I also think I know where you're head was at." Touma must have been looking confused, much like the spectators were, because Shizuri elaborated soon after. "You liked it because you finally found someone who had shittier luck than you do. Forgetting the fact that it's all fake you still related to that kid's situation, didn't you? That's why you enjoyed that crap; because, for once, it wasn't you."
Guiltily, Kamijou Touma actually looked away; which, in turn, caused Mugino's fit of laughter to be extended passed its initial run-time. Meanwhile the two spectators listening from a distance were almost left in speechless disbelief.
"...wow..."
Key word being almost.
"There is no way someone's luck can super suck that badly."
Stick around Kinuhata and you just might see some shit.
"To be fair, we both went into that movie blind and all I expected was an all around bad movie."
"And you got it, now where are you going with this?"
"Nowhere, what's the point in trying to save face when you're right?" His admittance came with the shrug of his shoulders as he tucked his hands into his pockets. "I still don't think it was bad enough for you to get upset over. Personally, it gave me a better appreciation for those big budget movies and TV shows that we usually harp on. I suppose that goes to show us that we don't enjoy the good things until after we've experienced the bad."
From afar, a certain stalker was once again making her advancement with the intent to do harm. Hamazura, having resigned to his fate, was basically hanging onto Kinuhata as she dragged him along with her. To be frank though, his impression of a human sandbag was nearly flawless. The only thing ruining it for him was the sagely nodding of his head after hearing what Kamijou said. By all accounts anyone who witnessed HighHubb would discover a newfound appreciation for the big blockbusters currently in theaters.
On that note, Shiage never did find out what 'hubb' stood for.
What a disappointment.
"...is that right?" A rhetorical question no doubt, yet that soon became irrelevant. Reason being that Mugino would not have given him time to respond otherwise. "Well then, let's go see if that applies with food as well. You have a promise to keep and I've suddenly got a craving for some nice fatty tuna. Who knows, maybe I'll have a better appreciation for some quality and expensive sushi after snacking on that stale-ass popcorn."
Poor Kamijou would have done a spit-take had he been drinking something. He was not, so instead he proceeded to choke on his own spit as Mugino gripped his arm and took to directing him. Between the shock value and the choking it went without saying that Touma found it difficult to immediately respond. Having been effortlessly blind-sided by his girlfriend, it is understandable that his mind was still trying to register what was currently going on.
Not to mention the follow-up from Mugino which served as the nail in the coffin for him and his wallet.
"You don't have a problem with that, do you Touma?"
That sweet over-the-shoulder smile was criminally effective and they both knew it.
And so, as Kamijou's head sunk, his wallet wept.
Some say you could still hear it's cries being carried along the wind.
"...Hamazura, that had better not be your hand on my chest."
Woops, false alarm.
That was Shiage's inevitable wailings being heard; not the wallet's.
"Huh? Oh, don't worry, I didn't feel anything."
Wrong answer, Hamazura.
Within School District 7 there is a bridge that spans over a river at around one hundred and fifty meters. This iron railway bridge, in all its grandeur, has since become notable landmark to the many students who live in Academy City. Everyone knew of this bridge and just about everyone crosses it. However, most students don't typically associate this landmark as a preferred dating spot. That being said, there were those who did know the value of this open yet hidden gem of a spot. Those same folk also know that it is a matter of timing which makes this place so special.
For on this bridge there were no high-rise buildings blocking one's view of the sky. No concrete obscuring the vast reaches of water from the river below it. It is the point in which the sun descends that makes this otherwise dull bridge come to life. For as the sun sets, the river below is dyed in the various mixtures of red, orange, purple, and blue; all meshed together in natural harmony. Truly it was a place where heaven and earth came together as one; making it an immaculate location to watch the sun disappear beyond the horizon.
Too bad that was not where Kamijou and Mugino ended up.
Those two were currently on the riverbank beside that same bridge.
Specifically speaking, Mugino was sitting right at the shore's edge. Beside the girl lay her shoes while her feet were currently submerged within the cool waters of the canal. Taking into account the hot weather and the day's heat, such a sensation felt heavenly to her. Clearly evidenced by her relaxed posture by the river's edge; her eyes closed and her body leaned back forcing her to use her arms as a means of support. This pristine picture she painted was tainted heavily by Kamijou's presence to her left. Contrast to the beauty beside him, he was sitting cross-legged and hunched over staring vacantly at his wallet's equally vacant contents.
Spending four thousand yen on a restaurant bill will do that to a typical teenager.
"Dammit, can't you two go somewhere that has some super cover for me to work with?"
Does it really need to be said that Kinuhata followed them here?
From the shoreline there stood a relatively sharp incline which the couple had to traverse down. Relatively, in this sense, meant that one could slip and tumble down the grassy slope if they were not careful. All the same it was also a good spot for someone to simply lay down on without fear of sliding down. The main issue Kinuhata had was that she had to remain at the peak of the incline. Even then she had to stay crouched so as not to be seen. Such a thing would not have been a problem if the action had not made her legs feel all itchy.
Which may explain why she looked and sounded fairly cranky.
"Uh-huh, sure, let's go ask 'em to move somewhere that makes it more convenient for you to stalk them."
Best boy lives!
His face was sporting some bruises and his lip was swelling up a bit.
Nonetheless, Hamazura Shiage was still alive!
"Did you say something super Hamazura?"
As pissed off as he was at the girl, her level of pissed off trumped his. Well, not really, but Hamazura was not in a position to do much against her.
"N-no, nope, nuh-uh; didn't say anything."
One of many reasons why it sucked being a Level 0 and ITEM's lackey.
Anyways, let us not stray too far from the couple.
"...are you done crying over your wallet yet?" Inquired the Level 5, cracking an eye open to halfheartedly gaze at her lover. "Staring at it isn't gonna make your money come back you know."
Let the boy dream dammit!
Alas, Touma himself had his own illusions broken and thus responded with a sigh. A promise was a promise, plus it was not like he did not partake in the consumption of their evening meal. Was it money well spent? Hell yes, however he still had to shed a tear or two for his poor depleted bank card. Having said that, Kamijou's body gradually descended until he was laying flat on the ground, legs still crossed, with his eyes cast upwards.
"Good god Kamijou, are you really that bothered about money?"
Uh-oh, Mugino is getting annoyed.
"Eh, oh no; maybe a bit but I'll get over it." Bomb threat neutralized, good work lethargic Touma. "Just wanted to admire the sky for a bit...while ignoring the small rock pressing into my back right now."
"Sit up then if it's bothering you that much, dumb ass."
"Too late, too lazy, don't feel like moving." Was the instantaneous response the boy gave as his body squirmed a bit in slight discomfort. "It's cooled down a lot since earlier today and right now we're catching a pretty nice breeze. If it wasn't for this stupid rock I feel like I could take a nap right here and now."
Mugino did not follow-up on that statement as quickly as he did hers. Instead the tranquil silence was filled by the soft swishing of her feet churning the water. However, as the two spectators continued to observe, they could see her frame gradually moving closer towards the prone boy bit by bit. After a few moments he must have noticed her shadow because they saw his head turn in her direction just as she too laid down next to him. Never minding the fact that she was laying in the dirt and grass or the fashionable clothing she was wearing. Not that she should care since she could very easily replace it all if she so pleased.
"Shit, I'd prefer a mattress and pillow over this."
Kamijou's response to this was to loop his arm around the girl and draw her closer to him. This act, though spontaneous, was not unwelcome as it did provide something for her to rest her head on.
"Better?"
Her answer was not immediate, taking a moment to adjust herself accordingly .
"Mn, it's an improvement; I'd still prefer a mattress."
That elected a few chuckles from Kamijou, which seemed to resonate with the girl since she spared a few herself. And for a time that was how they stayed, quietly laying on the dirt and grass while gazing at the heavens above. Seeing such a surreal sight might have been the thing that kick-started a certain observer's conscience. Within two minutes Hamazura had come to realize how caught up he had become in all of this. He was sitting there, in a crouch, watching these two right there alongside Kinuhata for God's sake!
"Hey, Kinuhata, this doesn't feel right; let's call the quits and leave 'em alone."
Yet, in spite of hearing his words, the Dark May Survivor remained silent. She remained as motionless as a statue, her eyes fixed on the couple below as her expression remained in a state of perturbed persistence. It sort of made him think of a child being taught patience and yet was growing increasingly frustrated as time went on. Not that he would dare say that part to her aloud. Being treated like a human punching bag, especially if it is twice in the same day, was not fun.
All the same, Hamazura had some morals left in him. Delinquent or not, this all felt wrong and he was not about to keep spying on these two any longer.
"Fine, you stick around, but I'm leaving."
To that end, Hamazura started to inch himself backwards so as not to be seen while steadily climbing back to his feet.
"Hey, Shizuri?"
"Hm?"
And then, just like that, Shiage hit the dirt as if he was being shot at. The blonde delinquent did not need to look at her to know what sort of expression Kinuhata was wearing. In fact he could practically taste the smug satisfaction she was emitting from the air itself. It was for this reason that his eyes currently resembled that of a dead fish at this given moment.
"This might be coming out of left field, but how come I've never met any of your friends?" An innocent question; one that caught more than a few people's interest. "You've already met or know about more than a few of my friends and classmates. But I've hardly heard you talk about or met with the people you regularly hang out with."
"You do know pillow talk usually comes after intimacy, right?"
"Th-that isn't what this is Shizuri."
"Tch, whatever, but what's there to talk about?" For some reason the pitch in Mugino's tone spiked; indicating tinges of irritation. "They're girls that I regularly hang out with; plain and simple. Nothing complex or compelling enough to merit me talking about them. All that's noteworthy about them is a few of their eccentricities and even those things are barely worth mentioning."
In all fairness, Mugino was likely saying all of this to maintain the image he currently held her in. It was unlikely for Kamijou to readily accept someone that resided within Academy City's dark underbelly. Kamijou was as normal as they came and probably only ever got into street fights. Mugino had killed people, many people in fact, and no amount of justification would excuse cold-hearted murder. Knowing the truth about her would undoubtedly result in an end to this grand illusion. This dream, beautiful as it was, would cease to be if he ever came to discover such truths. And the Meltdowner obviously wished to prolong this dream as long as possible.
So, logically, it made sense for her to undersell and dismiss those who were associated with that lifestyle.
Nonetheless...those words still stung a bit.
Hamazura himself could not stop himself from throwing her a look of genuine concern. She did not need to see him to know this, much like he did not need to see her smug look not long ago. While Kinuhata did not appear to be affected by her words, she did feel a prickling sensation in her chest from them.
"...aren't you being a little harsh there, Shizuri?" Kamijou's doubtful inquiry had a brief pause as he stifled a yawn. "Plus that doesn't explain why we haven't all been...introduced yet...wait."
Whatever fatigue that was in his body left him as he suddenly sat up a bit. His posture was slanted a bit as he stared down at Shizuri with an expression neither Saiai or Shiage could see. Same could be said about Mugino's expression too, as Touma's body was currently blocking their view of her.
"You haven't told them yet, have you?"
Beg your pardon Kamijou-san, but that sounded like a line from a drama-filled soap-opera.
"She didn't?"
Hamazura's question, this time, was not met with silence.
"Nope, she super never told us."
Precisely Kinuhata.
Hence the word 'Secret' written in the title of this story.
Unfortunately Kamijou, was not able to hear the commentary coming from the peanut gallery. Instead he had to go by Mugino's response or the lack thereof in this particular case. Because her silence all but confirmed his supposition; it thusly resulted in him reacting in perhaps the worst way possible.
He laughed.
Laughed hard enough to once again fall onto the dirt while clutching his mouth in a feeble attempt to control himself. There was a slight hiccup during this time when the rock he had been laying on jabbed him in the spine. Other than that, he proceeded to carry on with his guffawing undeterred. It did not persist for too long, no longer than it should have, before dying down to faint but hearty chuckles. He must not have been paying attention, because even the observers in the distance noted a certain Meltdowner's body visibly trembling beside him.
"Who would have thought that you would be embarrassed about something like that. Though...I guess I can understand why you would be. I thought I wouldn't hear the end of it from Motoharu when I first tol-bfgff!"
That was the sound of agony coming from a poor spiky haired youth. The cause of which being Mugino, now mounted on top of the boy, who currently had him in a submission hold.
"You think its fine to laugh at me after making me watch that bullshit movie!?" Huh, seems there was some remaining enmity left in her after all. "And why the hell would I be uncomfortable about telling my friends? If I wanted them to know, I would have! As it stands my relationship status is none of their fucking business! So what the fuck led you to think that I'm too embarrassed to tell them Kaaamijooou!"
Gee, is it how you are applying more pressure in that neck crank hold that is giving you away? Could that possibly allude to your current state of embarrassment, Mugino-san? Or perhaps the light dusting of red on your cheeks at the moment? Take your pick but know this: regardless of which option is chosen, what you are doing right now is painful as fuck. Also, why are you even asking these questions to begin with? Touma is too busy trying not to pass out at the moment.
For goodness sake, he has been tapping on your arm for almost ten seconds now!
Where the hell is the referee!?
Apparently, as an act of providence, Mugino had released him after a short span of time. She did not, however, get off of him; choosing to sit on his stomach rather than straddle him at the waist. By itself that part was disappointing in addition to the discomfort of having almost her full weight settled onto one spot. Thankfully Kinuhata and Hamazura were the lone spectators around to witness the sight. Had anyone else happened upon it then it would have surely led to some grave misunderstanding.
Granted, at first glance, it looked like something you would expect from a couple. A bit on the daring side, sure, yet well within the realms of possibility. Closer inspection, however, would reveal that there was nothing intimate about any of this. From an outside view, it looked like an act of supremacy; that or a reminder of who had the higher standing in this relationship.
Kinuhata was guessing it was the latter of the two.
"Not so jovial now, are you Kamijou?"
Touma, having taken to messaging his jaw, simply stared up at the girl as she folded her arms beneath her chest. What expression he currently wore was beyond the spectator's ability to comprehend at the moment. Hamazura, if he were in such a position, would be somewhere between annoyed and mortified. Then again being in Touma's shoes was the last place he would have liked to have been.
"Dunno, scoot back a bit more and we'll see."
Wow, a suggestive jest from the Puritan Wuss.
You are starting to make us all proud Kamijou-san.
"Cute, very cute, but if you haven't noticed I'm not in the mood for your jokes."
"It wasn't a joke, you're not heavy but it's still uncomfortable; get off."
You sunnuvabitch!
We were just giving you props!
"Too late, too lazy, don't feel like moving."
"Don't rehash what I've already said!"
Too late, Mugino already said it.
Despite his complaints, Kamijou did not put much effort into getting her off of him. In fact his body seemed to relax as if he had succumbed to his fate. Unknowingly this served to further spur Kinuhata's belief that Mugino was reaffirming the status quo of who was in charge of this relationship. Said belief was quickly called into question once more when the Level 5's brow furrowed as she stared down at the boy below her. More so when, for no explicable reason, Touma had fished out his phone from his pants pocket.
"What?"
"I'm taking a picture." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world while positioning the device over his face. "Smile!"
"Eh?"
A click of a button later and the picture had been taken. He made full use of this brief moment of confusion, fiddling with his phone before flipping the phone around so that she could see the display. While there was a momentary flash of agitation, it withered away once her eyes focused on the screen presented to her.
"Earlier I said that you can't appreciate the good things without experiencing the bad every now and then. Well then, there you have it; something good from something bad. My luck may be terrible but sometimes it pays to be unfortunate. 'Cause, without misfortune, I wouldn't have seen or been able to take such a great shot."
Whether or not she was paying his words much mind was debatable. Mugino, nevertheless, plucked the phone from his hand without a word to better examine the display. The longer she looked at it, the more she started to fiddle with things like her hair and clothes; probably using the picture as a reference for whatever blemishes or imperfections she had. As she was doing all of this, the corners of her lips started to rise as the beginnings of a smile started to surface on her features.
Evidently Kamijou was not spouting bullshit.
He really had captured something there.
"Um, Shizuri?" Kamijou's interjection eventually caught her attention. "You mind getting off of me now?"
Oh, this cheeky bastard was just trying to butter her up.
Mugino, no doubt aware of this herself, gave a short-lived pause to the notion.
"Nah, like I said, I don't feel like moving." Surprise, surprise, it did not work. "Besides, I'm starting to feel pretty damn comfortable."
"I'm not, this rock lodged into my back is really starting to hurt."
"Well, then, man up and make me move."
That was supposed to be a deterrent, no further thought beyond that half-hearted statement. Taken as a fact considering her attention immediately returned to the mobile phone as started fiddling with the keypad. Kamijou, however, did not simply take that statement lying down. Well, technically, he did but that was beside the point. He did not take it the same way Mugino intended it to be received; rather he took it as a challenge. And with her currently distracted he had the best opportunity to act on this opening she herself had presented him.
With a heave, Kamijou's body sat up from the waist, startling the Level 5 as she slid down his abdomen to his waist. Thankfully his arms had circled around her quickly enough to catch her before she fell back onto the harsh dirt and grass below. Instead of just stopping there though, the lad went further and had actually managed to rock himself forward on hunched legs from a semi-prone position and into a stable crouching position. From there it was all about leg-work as he slowly and steadily raised his body until he was a full standing position.
All the while maintaining a firm hold on girlfriend's frame. Mugino herself had subconsciously wrapped her own legs and arms around his waist and torso respectively. The latter of the two forced her to drop the boy's phone, but that was of little importance.
All-in-all, it was impressive to say the least.
One issue: it looked...bad from the Stalker's point of view.
"Hamazura, quit being a super perv and close your damn mouth."
The functionality in Shiage's jaw must have been wonky. For he had to use his hand to both close it and keep it closed.
"...where exactly are your hands?"
Whatever mental celebration that was going through his head plummeted in an instant.
If Kamijou was not sweating before then he sure as shit was now.
"Didn't want to drop you, sorry."
"Relax, it's fine, to be honest I didn't think you'd...hm?" Kinuhata, in her annoyance at Shiage, failed to realize what the Meltdowner was looking at until it was too late. "Hey, who the fuck is that!?"
Nobody, just some stalkers.
Stalkers that had immediately grown pale the instant they heard her. Especially since she was now using Kamijou as if he were some sort of pole to climb up on.
"Hey, Shizuri, what the hell?"
During this time confusion, Kamijou's body began to wobble and sway, thus forcing him to move accordingly less he and his girlfriend fall over like some tree. It is at this time that we must all reflect on a very minor detail. Earlier, Kamijou had been staring dejectedly at the lack of content within his wallet. What needs to be expressed here is that, when he laid down, he did not put it away in his back pocket. He left it on the ground close to where he had been sitting. Meaning that, when he stood up, he was standing close to his wallet.
Are the pieces starting to fit together here?
All that being said, in his struggle to maintain his balance, he stepped on it. In doing so, the precious balance that he had maintained up to that point had been lost. All because the materials of said wallet had ruined any means of establishing firm footing. To simplify it further; the wallet made his foot slip. Even if he had good balance to catch himself with, Mugino's reaction to his jerky movements ruined any chance of correcting it.
"Ka-Kamijou what the-!"
"Stop moving. Stop moving! Stop moving!"
It was a surreal sight to behold, watching them as they drew closer towards the river's edge. Touma must have been acting on instinct because he did not let go of Mugino's form despite such an action being the logical thing to do. At most she would have only suffered from a sore butt from hitting the dirt. Instead, however, she received something that could be potentially worse. When his foot finally had no ground left to travel on, the gig was up. Like a tree, the two tilted over and the only thing Kamijou had enough time to do was turn to where their left profiles would be the first to hit the water.
On a side note, this was perhaps the only time Kinuhata and Hamazura heard Mugino Shizuri scream. Short lived as it was quickly drowned out (hah!) by the loud splash as the two hit the water.
Again, it was a very surreal experience.
Too bad the two stalkers did not stick around long after that.
"Close, close, close!"
That chanting may as well have been a special form of breathing. Because it was all Shiage had been repeating as he and Kinuhata hauled as much ass as humanly possible away from the scene.
"That was super too close for comfort!"
She did not even berate him for nearly getting the two of them caught. Which spoke volumes of how terrified she was in regards to what nearly happened. Neither she nor Hamazura dared to look back for fear of seeing Mugino's soaked and enraged visage cropping up over the incline. Typical strategy when it came to surviving horror films was to never look back to begin with. Unlike in films, people actually died whenever the Meltdowner was pissed off enough. Right now they were all but assured that, if she caught them, they would both end up dead in an instant.
...to be frank though, their expectations of what followed their hasty departure were far from accurate.
The water level at the riverbank's edge was relatively shallow. Not deep enough for someone to drown if they fell in but not shallow enough to inflict too much harm either. Plus the mud from below did add some extra cushioning to their fall; so even at a water level of 1.2 meters deep they could get up and be relatively unharmed. Soaking wet and maybe a bit muddy, but unharmed nonetheless.
Which is precisely how the two came out of this exchange; soaked but unharmed. Yet, instead immediately trying to get out of the water, Touma just floated there; no anger or annoyance, nothing. His face completely deadpan as he stared vacantly up at the sky once more. Right there next to him was Shizuri who, surprisingly enough, mirrored his actions and expression flawlessly. Down to the deep inhale and sigh that both released as two words were simultaneously spoken aloud.
"Such misfortune."
At least the water felt nice.
Welcome to the bottom!
So, I'm back again after being away for about two or so months. I am sorry, but at the same time I'm not sorry. Understand that, as a gamer, a very important game was released at that time. Yup, Monster Hunter World was released, and as of this update I'm sitting at +469 total hours played. Yeah, I played it a lot and you know what, I loved every second of it.
It was thanks to Darkbetrayer asking me to edit his stories that helped get me out of the game. That and boredom; as I'm out of things to kill at this point.
Anyways, in case it isn't clear enough, this chapter is our favorite couple experiencing their first (narrated) bad date. Because, come on, we all have at least one under our belt. Plus the last couple of dates had gone as well as one could come to expect. Mild dosages of misfortune aside, those all ended well; which is a contradiction to Touma's lifestyle. So I figured this was the best time to do this as well as address some of the things you guys have been asking me personally.
As for HighHubb, well, that's just something me and a bunch of other authors on our Discord have deemed to be the OTP of Index. High Priest and former editor of Darkbetrayer's works; who we just call Hubb. So yeah, those two are canon and I regret nothing. Shout out to Frodofighter for beta reading this chapter for me once again. Great dude, his taste in shipping is shit, but nevertheless a great dude.
As usual, if there are any inquiries, thoughts, or concerns that arise in your mind, feel free to address them to me and I'll do what I can to answer them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed my little piece of work.
Goodbye for now.