Chapter 6- The Aftermath, and more Shopping
"Are you going to be okay sweetie?" Mrs Kanzaki cooed before bursting into full head-tilted laughter once more.
"I told you already, I'm fine." Van grumbled. He sat cross-legged, arms folded at the kitchen table, glaring his most evil glare at the two females taunting him.
"I'm sorry dear, I really shouldn't be laughing at this. How'd I raise such a cruel daughter? Hitomi, I still can't believe Van followed you down aisle four." Mrs Kanzaki wiped a tear from her eye.
They still think it's so damn hilarious. Why can't they get over it? They've been going on about it for the past half-hour. Van sighed deeply. I should of gone to Gaddess' house…
Hitomi laughed. "I didn't think it was such a big deal. It's only a box of tampons. Besides Van has a sister. I didn't think he'd mind at all."
"What do you mean exactly? Merle doesn't even need that kind of stuff yet," Van engaged in the conversation once again.
Hitomi and her mom immediately started laughing again leaving Van quite thoroughly confused. "What's so funny now?" he asked, dreading the answer.
"Oh Van, you're so oblivious," Hitomi said between laughs. "Merle's been using that 'stuff', as you put it, for at least three months now is it?"
Van's eyes bulged " What," he stammered. They have to be joking…I hope.
"No need to scare the poor boy, Hitomi. He's been through so much already today." Mrs Kanzaki chuckled, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder for support.
"Don't tell me you didn't know."
"Do I really need to know?"
"She's your sister."
"Yeah, but I don't really need to know about that. That's girl stuff."
Van couldn't believe he was even having this conversation. Mrs Kanzaki chuckled fondly at the two arguing away. Hitomi opened her mouth wide to belt something out but her mother intervened.
"Alright, that's enough Hitomi. You too Van." She paused for a moment to regain her composure. "Hitomi you're going shopping with Yukari tomorrow right? I want you to take Merle and Seth with you. I don't want them glued to that video game all day tomorrow and you know as well as I do that the won't go anywhere unless they're forced."
"But Mom…"
"Please Hitomi, will you do this for me? They don't have to follow you around. They can hang around the cafeteria or something. All you have to do is check up on them whenever you can. It won't interfere with your shopping. I promise."
"Mom," Hitomi whined.
"Van, you might as well go too. You're not staying here all day by yourself. I don't want to come home to a levelled house…"
Van sighed. Oh how wonderful. Shopping with Hitomi…again. Why can't things go the way I want them too? He stared up at the ceiling in despair.
"But I don't want to be babysitting them all day. They get in too much trouble," Hitomi protested.
"They can't be that bad. Van will be there too. I'm sure he can keep them out of your hair."
Okay, I've got my game plan set. Stay as far away as possible from the girls. Maybe go to Best Buy with Merle and Seth. Yeah, I think I'll do that. They won't go berserk there. Man, they love those games way too much for their own good…
Hitomi snapped her fingers inches away from Van's face. "Gaea to Van!"
Van jolted back to reality. "Yea?"
"If you keep those kids out of my way, I'll give you a cookie." Hitomi said in her most convincing voice.
"Depends what kind." Van fingered his chin thoughtfully.
"The really big double chocolate chip kind." She smiled hopefully.
"The really big chewy cookies with hunks of chocolate chips in them that melt in your mouth?" Van asked with a smirk.
Hitomi nodded. "The ones you love so much." she added.
He began to salivate at the thought of them. "Only if I get three…"
"Three? Isn't that a bit too much?" She placed her hands on her hips.
"That's the bare minimum. You wouldn't understand. That only leaves me with one for each hand and one for later," he reasoned with the mentality of a small child, hoping she would give in. To further his cause, he stuck out his lower lip in a deep pout.
"Okay, fine. Three it is. Remember you'll only get them if you keep them out of my hair," she warned while Van grinned like a madman.
"Deal." He offered her his hand and she gladly shook on it.
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Air conditioning gushed into Hitomi's face as she smiled at the marble tiled haven laid out before her. The mall was practically a second home to her. Taking in a deep relaxing breath, she linked arms with her friend.
"Let's go Yukari." She took a step forward but stopped when she noticed her friend was lagging behind.
"Hitomi aren't we forgetting something?" She nodded sharply towards Van, Seth, and Merle standing at the mall entrance.
"Right…" Hitomi turned to face the threesome. "Stay out of trouble, don't bother us, and have fun. Remember the deal Van?" He nodded.
"Okay then, we'll see you later." She waved cheerfully and walked off with Yukari.
"How about we go kill some time at Best Buy?" Van ruffled the back of his head. Seth and Merle nodded eagerly in unison before dashing away. Van sighed and nonchalantly walked after them.
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"Hitomi this is what I've been looking for," Yukari exclaimed, giddy with excitement as she held up a pair of bright red heels into the air. Hitomi smiled and practically ran over.
"Those will go perfectly with your costume for the party."
"I know! This is going to be great even if Millerna is hosting it at her place."
Hitomi shrugged. "It's not like we have to talk to her. Her house is huge. It's practically a mansion."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Yukari folded the tissue paper around her treasured red heels and carefully placed them into their box. "This party is going to be huge. I heard that she invited almost everyone at school."
Hitomi whistled. "Well, her house is big enough, it's possible."
Yukari grinned as she made her way to the check-out. "Yeah. Say Hitomi, who do you plan on taking with you to the party?" She wiggled her eyebrows knowingly. Yukari laughed when Hitomi's face went completely red.
"I don't know yet…" She looked down at her feet. " Hey, what about you?"
Yukari smirked. "Well, I was hoping to ask Allen to but most likely he's going with someone else. Such a shame."
"What about Miguel?" Hitomi inquired. Yukari giggled in response. " Well?" She smiled.
"Yeah, I guess I'm just going to have to ask him." She sighed. "You better think of someone to ask soon. The party is only a few weeks away. You don't want to end up taking Van," she teased
Hitomi gasped indignantly. "I'd rather go alone." Heat rose once again to her cheeks.
Her friend ignored her. "I bet that witch Millerna is taking Allen," she mumbled to herself. Sighing, she placed her shoes onto the check-out counter. "After I pay for this how about we go for lunch?"
Hitomi rolled her eyes. " Sure."
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The food court buzzed with weekend talk, the usual crowd lining up to place their orders. Hitomi and Yukari bought their normal burgers with fries and found a table.
"Hitomi, I think I have it all figured out now," she announced as she munched on her fries.
"Figured out?" Hitomi blinked.
"You know, who you should take to the party," Yukari whispered in a tone that bordered conspiracy. She beckoned Hitomi closer. "Dilandau's been looking your way with this dazed expression lately. It wouldn't hurt to ask him." She winked.
"Yukari have you forgotten he's the leader of that silly gang that wanders the school halls?" She hissed. "No way am I getting involved with all that! Who knows what kind of stuff they get into after-school. Whenever I think about it I picture this neon 'Danger' sign in my head." Hitomi looked bewildered. "Not to mention he's a known pyro."
"It was only a suggestion, calm down." Yukari sighed. "How about asking Guimel?"
"No."
"Dallet?"
"No."
"Shesta?"
"No."
"Viole?"
"No! Yukari, how come all the guys you've named are part of Dilandau's little gang?" Hitomi glared.
"Because they're all so cute…" Seeing Hitomi's not so amused expression she rolled her eyes. "How about asking Dryden?" she continued.
"No."
"Gaddess?"
"No! He's Van's friend. No way I'd ask him. It'd be awkward."
"Katz?"
"No! Okay how about I think about it and then tell you?" Hitomi pleaded.
"Fine, but I do expect to hear a name and soon." Yukari smiled as she picked up her hamburger. Hitomi felt grateful for the silence and started to dig into her own lunch.
"Hey that looks good, mind if I join you?" Hitomi turned around to find a hopeful Van leaning over her shoulder.
"Van, aren't you supposed to be watching Seth and Merle? I thought I told you not to bother us," she said, eyes scanning the area for their younger siblings.
Van shrugged. "Trust me, they're pretty occupied with this new game at Best Buy and as I remember, the deal was to keep them out of your hair. You didn't say anything about me. They're not here so you still owe me those cookies."
"So, that's how you convinced him to take Merle and Seth?" Yukari asked with a smirk.
"Yeah, so move over," he teased as he motioned her to move over. She did after a moment of grumbling. Van smiled with contentment as he started munching on Hitomi's fries. Yukari giggled at the sight. Hitomi's face was priceless. "No ketchup Hitomi?" Van's eyes searched the table for the red condiment. Hitomi's eye twitched with anger.
"Here Van," Yukari said in a chipper voice as she offered him a packet of ketchup.
His eyes lit up. "Thanks Yukari." He happily accepted the packet from her and wasted no time in smothering Hitomi's fries with the red sauce.
"Aren't you going to have some Hitomi?" Van picked up a fry dripping with ketchup and popped it into his mouth.
"No, I seem to have lost my appetite…" She rubbed her throbbing temples.
He shrugged. "More for me then."
Yukari leaned in closer with a smile glued to her face. "So Van, who are you taking to Millerna's party?"
Van stretched lazily . "No one," he answered coolly. "Should I be taking someone?"
"Well, most people are." She slouched back in her seat. Yukari's brown eyes drifted across the food court. Suddenly, her mouth dropped and her eyes widened.
"Look, it's Allen and he's not alone." Yukari was on the edge of her seat with excitement. It was true, Gaddess was walking along with him.
Yukari waved happily to them. Van and Hitomi groaned and slipped further down in their seats.
"Hey!" Allen waved back and they headed over.
"So this is where you've been all day, Van?" Gaddess took a seat beside him. "Is shopping with Hitomi more important than hanging out with me now?"
Van snorted "Of course Gaddess, it's so important," he retorted sarcastically.
"Have you spent the weekend with her?" Gaddess asked as slid into the seat next to a very ecstatic Yukari.
"Yeah." Van picked up Hitomi's half-eaten hamburger and started to chop down on it. Hitomi crossed her arms and stared at him disapprovingly. Van looked more interested in eating than anything else.
Allen's brow furrowed as he looked at the pair. "Are you two dating? I thought that you guys were just friends." Van coughed and almost choked on Hitomi's hamburger. Hitomi's green eyes went wide in surprise.
Yukari giggled behind her hand. "No, they're only friends Allen." She grinned cheerfully and offered him some of her fries. Smiling, he politely accepted one. Van smacked his chest several times, his coughing fit slowing to a crawl.
"Are you alright Van?" Hitomi radiated concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He cleared his throat.
She smiled and gave him a playfully punch on the shoulder. "Maybe you should refrain from shoving that much of my hamburger into your mouth."
"Do they always hang out like that?" Allen whispered across the table to Gaddess.
He laughed. "Yeah, didn't you know? Their families have been close friends since forever." Yukari nodded in agreement.
"I see." Allen nodded. He seemed very interested about the topic.
Gaddess' eyes flickered with amusement. "Shopping with Hitomi all day," he mused aloud. "You poor thing."
Van brushed his wild black bangs from his face. "Very funny. It wasn't so bad considering that I had to watch Seth and Merle." His posture screamed cool and collected.
"Yeah, today wasn't so bad for him. He went shopping with me yesterday. You should of saw his face when we…" Hitomi didn't finish her sentence. She bursted into a fit of non-stop uncontrollable laughter. Allen, Gaddess, and Yukari stared at Hitomi with amazement.
"What is it, Hitomi?" Yukari blinked with puzzlement. Van looked away and hoped that they wouldn't see his bright red face. He stayed as quiet as a mouse.
"Van are you blushing? What happened yesterday?" Gaddess lightly laughed as Van's blush deepened. Upon seeing his red face, Hitomi couldn't control her laughter. She clutched her burning sides.
"It wasn't that funny Hitomi," Van mumbled. He tried to ignore the fact she was leaning against him for support.
"You have to tell me later Hitomi if it really is that funny," Yukari implored.
Van groaned. He swallowed when Hitomi stopped vibrating against his shoulder. Here it comes…
Hitomi paused, her giggles subsiding. She looked at Van with a giddy smile, eyes madly sparkling with spontaneous mischief. "Van, how about I don't tell them in exchange for the cookies I owe you?"
Van gasped mocking. "Never Hitomi! I would never give my precious cookies up. You can go ahead and tell them, I don't care."
"Come on, you do care."
"Do not."
"Well then, if you do care why don't you tell them? If you do I'll give you twice the amount of cookies I owe you." Van's face became serious at the offer.
Gaddess laughed heartily. "Oh, he'll do it now." He leaned back into his seat and waited for Van to tell everyone.
"I bet he won't," Allen said as he watched Van contemplate the situation. "He was blushing. It has to be bad."
"I'll take you on then. Van would do anything for cookies."
"Okay fine. The winner picks the loser's costume for the party," Allen declared.
"I accept, but you're going to regret it," Gaddess warned with a smirk.
"Oh, I doubt I will," Allen said with an air of haughtiness. It was quiet as everyone waited for Van's decision.
"Alright Hitomi, you win." Van heaved a sigh. " Where to start…Well, Hitomi's mother sent us out on an errand to get some groceries and well…We finished getting everything on the list but Hitomi said that she still needed to get one more thing. I ended up following her down…Aisle four." He winced in remembrance.
"Aisle four?!" Yukari, Allen, and Gaddess exclaimed in unison.
"Hitomi you evil little monster." Yukari chuckled appreciatively.
"You actually went down there? I avoid that place at all costs." Allen stared at Van in wonder.
"Wow, you're the first guy I've ever heard of going down there," Gaddess stated with his mouth slightly open in astonishment.
Hitomi ruffled Van's shaggy head of hair. "Guess I better go get you those cookies. I can't believe you actually told them." She shook her head fondly at him before getting up.
Van grinned cheekily at Allen. "Guess we'll be seeing you around, Allen. Looking forward to seeing what costume Gaddess chooses for you." He laughed sharply and wandered after Hitomi.
Poor Allen looked mortified, his face grey as Gaddess smirked smugly. "How do you feel about stockings and short skirts, Allen?"