"You really need to do something about this, Yuuta. There are other people around, you know," Nibutani mumbled.
The group was headed to a festival outside of town, having received assistance from Dekomori's parents for the hotel room expenses, and were currently riding the train there. Nibutani and Dekomori were sitting together with Rikka and Yuuta sitting across from them. Kumin and Mitsuki were sitting behind the two girls.
Rikka was sticking her head out the window. She shouted, "With the speed of this vehicle, I'll be able to accelerate at a sufficient rate to catch the light beings! They cannot escape the wrath of the Wicked Eye!" She leaned further out the window and waved her arms in intricate motions, causing strangers around them to stare.
"Seriously, Yuuta, control your girlfriend," Nibutani scolded. It was embarrassing to attract this much attention.
"Not until you control yours," Yuuta replied. He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, attempting to ignore the commotion.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Nibutani looked at the occupied seat next to her, and she noticed a certain blonde girl also sticking her head out the window. Nibutani paled.
Dekomori smiled blissfully, her pigtails being carried by the breeze. "Look how gracefully Dekomori sways in the wind," she sighed happily.
"Hey, knock that off, you idiot!" Nibutani hissed. She attempted to pull Dekomori back into the confines of the train car, but she stopped abruptly when she remembered something that had momentarily flown over her head.
Nibutani whipped her body around to face Yuuta once again. "W-What did you mean by that?! S-She's not my girlfriend!" Nibutani stammered. Yuuta shrugged in response. Nibutani hid her face in her hands, embarrassed by the implications.
Oh god, why did he say that? That's so embarrassing! It's one thing to hear something like that from Kumin, but hearing it come from Yuuta is ten times worse! I hope that idiot first year didn't hear anything… Nibutani glanced back at Dekomori, who was too busy with her activities to hear anything that was said inside. She sighed in relief. She decided to ignore the twin tailed girl and let her continue on with whatever she was doing.
Nibutani heard a giggle behind her. She turned around and saw Kumin leaning over the top of her seat, smiling widely.
"You're so sweet, Mori Summer. You let Deko stick her head out the window even though it embarrasses you," Kumin said, a twinkle in her eyes.
Nibutani turned red. "You be quiet!" she retorted.
Nibutani turned back around and crossed her arms. She could have sworn she heard Mitsuki snort in annoyance. The purple haired girl had barely said anything since their trip began. Dekomori sat next to Nibutani when they boarded the train, which caused Mitsuki to fall into a foul mood. Nibutani groaned. This was going to be a long ride.
Nibutani spent most of the trip trying to keep Dekomori under control. The younger girl was practically jumping off the walls. She couldn't seem to contain her excitement. Nibutani could feel her energy drain as the hours passed by.
They arrived at their destination after a four hour long trip. It had been hectic. Rikka and Dekomori's seemingly endless amounts of energy had gotten the group in trouble more than once. Many people had walked over to them, requesting that the two girls keep their voices down. Nibutani had done her best to hide the overwhelming embarrassment she felt.
When the train finally stopped, the group grabbed their belongings and made their way through the bustling station. Upon exiting, Dekomori marched down the sidewalk, not giving the others time to figure out where they should be going. She beckoned, "Follow me everyone! Only I know the way to our temporary headquarters! Your fate lies in my hands!" The first year turned and walked away, her laughter ringing out.
"Wait for me, Master!" Mitsuki shouted. She ran after Dekomori. She seemed to have recovered from her previous melancholy. The rest of the group trudged after them, tired out from the long train ride.
They walked down the busy streets, taking in the sights before them. They strolled in the middle of a large shopping district. The shops and restaurants in the area were preparing for the festival, hanging various decorations in the windows. The streets were lively. Nibutani could see people setting up booths in a nearby park. Everyone seemed caught up in the excitement of the day's activities. Many people already donned colorful yukatas with floral designs.
"Were we supposed to dress up?" Nibutani asked. "I didn't bring my yukata…" Nibutani felt out of place amongst all of the beautiful clothing that people were wearing for the festival. It felt strange to be dressed so casually.
"I think it'll be okay. It's not a big national holiday, so we should be fine." Yuuta replied. Nibutani nodded. She hoped he was right. It would undoubtedly feel awkward being the only ones underdressed.
Eventually, Dekomori, who had been walking with Mitsuki in front of the rest of the group, stopped in her tracks. "We have arrived! You should thank me for insuring your safe arrival!" Dekomori grinned.
"Thank you, Master!" Mitsuki replied enthusiastically. Nibutani rolled her eyes. The younger girl was acting like an overly excited puppy.
Nibutani paused. Something wasn't right. "This can't be it, can it?" Nibutani asked, confused. She looked around, but she couldn't seem to find anything remotely close to a hotel like they usually would stay in. They had left the shopping district a short time ago, and it looked like they had entered a rich district of the city. Tall skyscrapers towered over them. The people around them were no longer dressed like those in the shopping district. They were still dressed well, but instead of charming yukatas, they wore lavish business suits. This environment was definitely not suited for a group of high school students.
"Where are we?" Nibutani inquired. They stood in front of a very fancy looking building. A large fountain sat near the entrance. Bellhops in well-tailored uniforms were carrying luggage out from expensive cars. Nibutani looked up and saw that the building extended upwards for about 24 floors. Nibutani's jaw dropped. There was no way this was actually happening.
Dekomori confirmed Nibutani's thoughts. "This is the hotel, The Grand Palace. It's the only place fitting for someone like the Mjolnir Hammer! My temporary headquarters must feel as sturdy as my fortress at home! No corrupted beings will be able to get past these defenses!" Dekomori laughed triumphantly.
"Good work, Dekomori." Rikka said in approval. The two girls exchanged a high five.
"Hold on a moment… I know your family is super rich, but this is just ridiculous" Nibutani said incredulously. "This is a luxury hotel! It must cost a fortune to stay here, even for just one night! Are you sure it's okay that we're here?"
Yuuta sighed. "I wouldn't even question it. Let's just go along with it."
"That's right!" Dekomori agreed. "You should listen to the Dark Flame Master more often! Fakes like you always get riled up by the most trivial things. This is why you can never reach the greatness achieved by the Mjolnir Hammer and her trusty companions." Nibutani growled and tugged at Dekomori's pigtails, causing the younger girl to squeal in pain.
Amidst all the confusion, the group failed to notice a middle aged man, dressed in an expensive suit, standing a few feet away. He was watching the group in amusement.
He cleared his throat, which successfully grabbed the attention of the high schoolers. He said, "Miss Sanae, my name is Kazuhiro Oshiro. I'm a close friend of your father's and the owner of this establishment. He has requested that I show you and your friends to your room and make sure you're accommodated with the many facilities we have here at The Grand Palace." He smiled and bowed slightly.
"Very well," Dekomori acknowledged. She trotted after the man as he walked towards the entrance, Mitsuki and Rikka in tow. They seemed unfazed by the grandeur of the hotel. A smiling Kumin pushed Yuuta and Nibutani in the direction of the rest of the group as they continued to gawk at their surroundings.
Once everyone was gathered in the main lobby, the manager began his tour, "This hotel offers a wide variety of facilities. Here on the first floor, we have five distinct restaurants, a lounge, a gym, and a spa. We also house one of the largest indoor pools in the city. Feel free to use these as much as you want. Miss Sanae's father assured us that he will cover any expenses." Nibutani shook her head in disbelief.
Unbelievable. This is just unbelievable. I probably won't have an experience like this ever again. I guess there is some good in being close to that idiot… As rich as the family seemed, Nibutani thought it might be best to be careful about what they ended up charging. The hotel room was probably expensive enough as it is.
"If you follow me, I'll take you up to your room." The group followed Kazuhiro into a spacious elevator. He hit the button labeled 24.
"The top floor is the only floor with it's own unique bathhouse," he continued, "Not many people end up using it, so you shouldn't have to worry about it being crowded." The elevator dinged and the doors opened. They stepped out and walked down a long hallway. Intricate paintings lined the wall, and crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The walked until they reached a door with the number 2401 on the front.
"This is one of the hotel's best suites. Please enjoy your stay." The manager handed Dekomori the room key and a spare, bowed, and left. Dekomori inserted the room key and opened the door.
The entered a large room that looked more like a house than a hotel room. A wooden circular table sat in the middle of the room, covered in a white silk tablecloth and fine china. Windows spread across the entirety of the furthest wall, giving them a beautiful view of the city. A grey sofa was placed in front of a wide screen tv in the leftmost part of the area. To their right, a short hallway led to more rooms.
"Wow, this is incredible," Yuuta gazed in awe. Nibutani could only nod in agreement. She shuffled her feet and could feel soft, plush carpet underneath them.
"Hey, there are bedrooms over here!" Mitsuki called out. Her and Kumin had gone to check down the hallway. "They have these huge beds in them! There's a bathroom, and everything is marble in it, and there's a fancy bathtub!" she gushed. She dragged Kumin into one of the rooms. Her excited shouts could be heard from the entrance.
"Geheheh, this is perfect!" Dekomori declared. "We should secure the perimeter and set up our defenses!" Rikka nodded, and the two girls ran around the room.
"We still have a couple of hours before we need to start heading back to the shopping district for the festival." Yuuta noted. "I suppose I could use this time to check out the facilities on the first floor." He beckoned for Rikka to follow him, who complied happily. The two girls who had previously been exploring the other rooms, came out to join the rest of the group.
"I think I'm going to rest for a bit before we have to head out," Nibutani announced. "The trip tired me out." Watching over an energetic girl with chuunibyou for four hours would tire anyone out. Nibutani also needed to mentally prepare herself for later on. Couples often used these events as an opportunity to be alone together, so festivals tended to have an intimate feel to them. Maybe she could use the event as an excuse to spend extra time with the blonde first year
Kumin seemed to have read Nibutani's mind. She grabbed Mitsuki and said, "We're going to go down with Yuuta and Rikka to see some of the hotel's facilities." She smiled and winked at Nibutani. Mitsuki tried to protest, but she was powerless as a giggling Kumin shoved her out the door. There was an audible sound as the hotel door clicked shut, leaving Nibutani alone with Dekomori.
"You're not going with them?" Nibutani asked the short girl. Being alone with her made Nibutani nervous
"Anything I would find here, I can find at my fortress," Dekomori answered. "There is no need for me to explore this temporary headquarters since I am already aware of what it contains. Plus, I can't leave you alone. You might try to set up a trap to ambush me!" Dekomori crossed her arms and eyed Nibutani suspiciously.
Nibutani pinched the bridge of her nose. She decided to ignore the younger girl, and she opted to explore the rest of the rooms instead. She walked down the hallway and entered the first bedroom to her left. It had a large king sized bed and its own tv.
"The other bedroom is bigger, but it has two queens" Nibutani heard Dekomori say. The twin tailed girl had followed her down the hall.
"Are you just going to follow me everywhere? Whatever it is you think I'm going to do, it won't happen," Nibutani said.
"I can't afford to risk it. I can never tell what wicked things you'll come up with next, Fake Summer," Dekomori answered. Nibutani sighed. That girl was going to do whatever she pleased, so there was no point in trying to stop her.
Nibutani wondered about sleeping arrangements. They would have to figure it out eventually. There were only three beds in the suite, so they would have to share. Nibutani reddened at the thought of sharing a bed with Dekomori.
The first year walked up to Nibutani and poked her cheek. "Your face is red. Are you thinking impure thoughts again?" she asked. Nibutani swiped Dekomori's hand away.
"No! Just shut up!" Nibutani exclaimed. Dekomori snickered to herself. Nibutani sat on the bed and sighed. She leaned back and sprawled across it. She considered asking Dekomori to walk around the festival together. It might help ease any awkwardness that might still reside between the two of them. Ever since she accepted her feelings for the younger girl, she yearned to spend more time with her. Nibutani sighed. That was a pretty normal thing to feel, but since she was considered Dekomori's rival, asking to spend time with her seemed like it would make her feelings obvious.
"Hey…" Nibutani started. She caught Dekomori's eyes, and her heart leapt in her chest. The blonde girl waited expectantly for her to continue. Taking the risk now and getting it over with seemed like the best course of action.
"We've never hung out at a festival before. I mean, just the two of us." Nibutani went on. Her heart beat rapidly. It was now or never. There probably couldn't be a better excuse to hang out alone than during a festival
"What are you getting at, fake Mori Summer?" Dekomori asked. She placed her hands on her hips.
"W-Well, since we never spend much time together outside of the club, I was curious about what you like to do, so I thought it might be interesting to go around the booths together. Plus, it might help us get used to being around each other again after what happened..." Nibutani blabbered on. She felt her palms getting sweaty.
Dekomori flushed slightly. She tilted her head down, preventing Nibutani from seeing her facial expression. Nibutani felt momentarily panicked.
Did I come on too strong and freak her out? This isn't good. Dammit, Shinka, you should have waited longer before bringing up something like this. It's too soon since the incident. She's probably really confused…
Suddenly, Dekomori's head shot up and she burst into a fit of loud, obnoxious laughter. "Nice try, Fake Summer! I can see through your facade of goodness! You mean to catch me when my back is turned! I see your true wicked intentions!"
"Oh, forget it!" Nibutani yelled. She sprang off the bed, and stomped past Dekomori, who tried to attack her on her way out. Nibutani frowned. The whole thing had flown over the first year's head, so Nibutani felt silly for worrying about it in the first place. Dekomori seemed oblivious to romantic feelings.
"You'll never defeat me, you fake!" Dekomori shouted as the two walked down the hall.
"Whatever. Let's just go get the others. We should get ready to go soon." Nibutani replied, annoyed with the whole situation. Her hopes of spending time with Dekomori were dashed.
The group strolled down the streets of the shopping district. In the dark, they relied on the glow of lanterns hanging from booths. It was busy, and many people were dressed up for the occasion. Fortunately, they weren't the only ones who chose to forgo wearing festival clothing. There were many activities to choose from. Many booths sold food or had some sort of game one could play for small prizes. Skits were being performed on a small stage nearby.
"Geez, where should we even start?" Nibutani asked. There was so much to do.
Kumin spoke up before anyone else could answer, "I think it would be fun if we split into groups! That way it'll be like mock dates, which seems a lot more exciting than going as a big group!" The third year smiled.
"I want to go with Master!" Mitsuki said immediately. She linked her arm with Dekomori, who appeared slightly nervous. Nibutani felt anger rise within her. There was no way she was going to let that happen.
"I don't think that's a very good idea." Nibutani countered. "I think we should stick together as a group." Nibutani and Mitsuki glared daggers at each other. Kumin smiled knowingly.
The short haired girl walked over to Dekomori and whispered something in her ear. Dekomori immediately reddened. She pulled her arm free, and she turned and muttered a low "sorry" to Mitsuki before walking over to Nibutani. Dekomori grabbed her arm and dragged her away from the rest of the group, her face still red.
When they were far enough away that they could no longer see the others, Dekomori released Nibutani's arm. The brown haired girl rubbed the spot where Dekomori's hand had grasped, sore from being pulled at.
"What was that for?" Nibutani asked. She wondered what Kumin had said to Dekomori that made her act out so quickly.
"Kumin told me to come with you." Dekomori mumbled. Nibutani felt her stomach drop. She hoped that Kumin hadn't revealed anything she intended to say herself.
Dekomori continued, "She told me that the reason she brought up the idea of splitting into groups was because she wanted to walk around with Mitsuki. I wonder if she's interested in her…" Nibutani sighed. Kumin was too good a friend and way too good at reading people's moods. It was obvious that Kumin used that story as an excuse to keep Mitsuki away.
"Who knows," Nibutani replied. "Well, we're here now, so we might as well make the most of it. What do you want to do?"
Dekomori looked around and pointed to a specific booth. "I'm hungry! Buy me takoyaki!" Dekomori demanded. Nibutani groaned and pulled the younger girl over to the stand. She purchased six takoyaki for each of them.
Dekomori grinned happily and shoved the first takoyaki into her mouth. Her face turned red, and she shouted, "Hot! Fire demons are ambushing me! It burns like death!" She fanned her burnt tongue with her hand. When she finally managed to swallow her food, she immediately ate another one, producing the same result.
Dekomori looked over at Nibutani, showing off her burnt tongue and giving her best sad face. "Then stop eating them so quickly!" Nibutani snapped. She tugged at the younger girl's cheek. Dekomori pouted.
Out of the corner of her eye, Nibutani spotted a man at a booth waving them over. The two girls approached. The booth showed off a variety of small toys, each one connected to a string. It looked like some sort of game.
"Care to try your luck? Pull a string and win a prize!" the man explained. Dekomori beamed and nodded. The man pointed to a bundle of strings. The twin tailed girl carefully mulled over each option.
"My power shall reveal to me which string is best choice!" Dekomori announced. She grabbed the one furthest to the right and tugged at it. The string was wrapped around a small bear plushie.
"All right!" Dekomori cheered. Nibutani watched the tiny girl with a smile on her face, as Dekomori jumped up and down, proclaiming to the world about how great her power was. The display of excitement was cute, and Nibutani felt her cheeks heat up as she watched.
Dekomori trotted over to Nibutani and shoved the toy in the older girl's face. "Look! My powers have granted me this totem!" Dekomori said excitedly. "You can have it though." She handed Nibutani the toy.
Nibutani's eyes widened. "For me? Why?" she asked. Nibutani's heart beat faster. Why was the tiny girl giving this to her? What did it mean?
"You need its power more than I do!" Dekomori answered. "I am already mighty and powerful, but you're only a fake, so you could really use a power boost." Nibutani growled. Of course that was the reason. Nibutani cursed herself for thinking it could have meant something else.
"You should be thankful that I'm allowing my rival to have such a powerful artifact." Dekomori continued. She seemed pleased with her own generosity. Nibutani, too distracted by her initial disappointment, failed to notice the light blush that spread across the younger girl's cheeks.
"Of course, mighty Mjolnir Hammer," Nibutani said sarcastically. "How will I ever thank you for your overwhelming generosity?" Nibutani smiled when she saw Dekomori pout. She shoved the toy bear in her pocket.
"Come on, let's check out the other stalls," Nibutani suggested. Dekomori nodded, agreeing with the proposed plan.
The two girls moved from booth to booth, making sure they didn't miss a single thing. Dekomori stopped at almost every food stall to buy something, which left Nibutani feeling exasperated. The twin tailed girl was bound to get sick if she kept running around after eating as much as she had. Nibutani attempted to keep Dekomori at bay by visiting the booths that held games. She successfully managed to get Dekomori to calm down at the fishing booth. The blonde girl sat there for several minutes, trying to catch a goldfish with a small paper catcher, until she finally accepted defeat and allowed Nibutani to drag her away from the booth.
"Those familiars are slippery beings." Dekomori growled in frustration. Nibutani smiled. The blonde girl had tried many times to catch one of the fishes, but whenever she managed to scoop one up, the paper catcher broke. Every failed attempt had added more fuel to the fire, and Nibutani was almost certain that Dekomori would have been there all night if she hadn't managed to pull the younger girl away.
"Come on, I'll buy you some cotton candy." Nibutani offered. Dekomori's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously. Nibutani looked around for the stand and noticed it quite a ways away from where they were standing. An influx of people were heading in their direction, making the pathway suddenly very crowded. It wouldn't be hard to lose each other with this amount of people walking about.
Nibutani held out her hand. Upon seeing Dekomori's questioning look, Nibutani explained, "There's a lot of people around, so it would be hard to find each other if we got split up. Just grab my hand until we get to where we need to be. It's only temporary, so you can let go once we get there." The short girl blushed and nodded, grabbing Nibutani's hand with her own.
They walked hand in hand through the crowd of people. Dekomori's small stature made it easier for people to push her aside, so she tightened her grip on Nibutani's hand to make sure she wouldn't get swept away by the crowd. Nibutani was acutely aware of this action. Her breath turned shaky and she felt her heart race. Within a few minutes, they finally made it past the wave of people and arrived at the cotton candy stand.
An old woman, who was running the booth, commented, "My my, aren't you two a cute couple?" She smiled softly. Nibutani looked down and noticed that their hands were still clasped together. They immediately released each other and blushed furiously. The old woman laughed at the gesture and handed them their treat.
The area was still crowded, festivals being an extremely popular activity among people of all ages, so Nibutani thought it would be best to find a place that was less populated. She looked around and spotted a rest area on top of a small hill. It was relatively free of people. She tugged at Dekomori's arm and led her to the top of the hill.
There were several benches in the area and a small wooden railing that blocked off a steep incline on the other side. Nibutani and Dekomori walked over to the railing and leaned against it. The hill gave a great view of the city. It was dark, and the city's lights shone brilliantly, like a sea of stars. The two girls stood in silence as they ate.
After finishing her snack, Dekomori let out a groan, "I ate too much… I feel my powers weakening…" She put her hand on her stomach and rubbed it in slow circles.
Nibutani replied, "I told you not too eat too much, but you never listen to me. You're getting what you deserve." She flicked Dekomori's forehead.
The younger girl grimaced, feeling sick. Nibutani sighed. She led the small girl to one of the many benches and sat her down. Dekomori leaned back and closed her eyes.
"I can't believe I spent the entire festival walking around with a fake like you. It isn't befitting of someone of my status," Dekomori mumbled, her eyes still closed.
"Don't blame me," Nibutani replied, "You're the one who made that decision in the first place. You should have refused Kumin's request if it bothered you so much." Nibutani crossed her arms, feeling slightly put off at Dekomori's reaction to their evening.
"I suppose it wasn't as bad as it could have been. If I had to be stuck with one person the whole night…" Dekomori trailed off suddenly. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Nibutani.
"I'm glad it was you, Fake Summer," she finished. She closed her eyes and turned her head away, embarrassed by her own words. Nibutani could feel the color rising in her cheeks. She smiled and gazed at the view of the city. She put her hand down on the surface of the bench, resting it next to Dekomori's, and lightly pressed her pinky against the first year's. Nibutani felt Dekomori push her own pinky against Nibutani's in response.
The two sat there, unmoving, until they heard a voice calling their names. Nibutani looked behind her and saw the rest of the group down at the base of the hill. Kumin was waving, suggesting that she was the one who had called out to them. Nibutani and Dekomori walked down the hill to meet up with them.
"We're thinking of heading back to the hotel room now. It's getting kinda late," Yuuta told them. They nodded in agreement and began making their back to The Grand Palace.
"So how was your night, Mori Summer?" Kumin asked eagerly. She was undoubtedly excited to hear about the results of her plan.
Nibutani sighed, "Taking care of an overly hyper child like her was tiring, but it was...nice nonetheless." Nibutani decided to keep quiet about their hand holding and subtle pinky touches. She didn't want to stir up any drama, considering that Mitsuki was in earshot and was probably listening to everything being said.
"It was a true test of my skill to survive an evening alongside a fake!" Dekomori stated.
Kumin giggled, "I'm glad you two had so much fun. Unfortunately, I don't think I entertained my companion as much." Kumin smiled at Mitsuki. She didn't seem upset about it. Kumin was always unfazed by issues like that.
"It's not that I didn't have fun. I just missed Master," Mitsuki replied. Nibutani felt her eye twitch.
"Of course! It's only natural that a servant misses the company of her master," Dekomori responded. "Tomorrow we shall hunt for the demon beast together as master and servant!" Dekomori patted Mitsuki's back roughly and laughed. Mitsuki's eyes glittered with happiness.
Nibutani did her best to ignore them. "So what about you and Rikka? What did you guys do?" she asked Yuuta.
"We just walked around and played some games. Rikka ended up eating too much and got sick when she wanted to go run around." he replied.
"That idiot did the same thing. They really are a handful, aren't they?" Nibutani groaned. Yuuta nodded and smiled. Nibutani felt like they could bond over situations like these. They were always the ones who had to deal with Rikka and Dekomori, so they could relate to each other's situation. Nibutani was grateful that she had a friend like that.
The group slowly made their way back to the hotel. They were mostly quiet, tired from the night's activities, with the occasional outburst from Rikka and Dekomori. Nibutani smiled. Tonight had been truly enjoyable. It was the first time she really got to spend time alone with Dekomori. It went mostly like she expected, with a few surprising moments along the way. She hoped that she'd get another opportunity like this again.
When the group finally arrived back at their suite, the first thing they did was argue about sleeping arrangements. Nibutani had seen this coming. There were only three beds, of course. It wouldn't have been an issue if they didn't have Yuuta with them. No one seemed keen on the idea of sharing a bed with him.
"If it's really an issue, I can just sleep on the couch in the main room," Yuuta said.
"Aw, that's no fair," Kumin replied. "You can have the king sized bed. The other room has two beds that the rest of us can share. You can even have Rikka in your room if you really want to." Kumin smiled. Her words caused Yuuta and Rikka to reel in embarrassment.
"No way!" Dekomori protested. "They'll probably end up doing impure things and keep the rest of us up all night!" Dekomori shot them a suspicious look. Rikka covered her ears and blushed.
"That's not going to happen!" Yuuta reassured them. His face was beet red.
"Why don't we just do what Kumin said and see if we can fit all of the girls in one room," Nibutani suggested, "I mean, Rikka, Dekomori, and Mitsuki are puny, so it shouldn't be hard to find space for all of us." Everyone voiced their agreement. It seemed like a sensible choice.
The girls bid Yuuta goodnight and headed in their room. Now they needed to figure out exactly who was sleeping where. Nibutani secretly hoped that she would get to share with Dekomori, though it made more sense to put the smallest girls together.
"I think it would be best of we put the smallest girls on one bed." Mitsuki said, voicing Nibutani's thoughts. "Sanae, Rikka, and I can go on one bed, and Nibutani and Kumin can use the other. That makes the most sense," she concluded. Mitsuki stole a quick glance at Dekomori, a slight blush appearing on her face. This didn't go unnoticed.
"I disagree," Nibutani countered. What was she saying? Mitsuki had come to the most logical conclusion, so why was she disagreeing? The other girls looked at Nibutani, surprised. They waited for her to elaborate.
Dammit, that girl pisses me off with everything she says. I blurted that out before I even thought about it. I can't deny the accuracy of what she said, but letting her get what she wants annoys me to no end. I need an excuse.
"I think it would be better if we just slept wherever we want," Nibutani explained, "That way we don't have to stress about sleeping arrangements."
"Agreed," Rikka said. "The Wicked Eye rests where she wants." Nibutani sighed. At least one person agreed with her. Rikka laid down on the bed furthest from the the door.
"If that's the case, then I shall rest here." Dekomori announced. She plopped down on the other bed.
"I'll join you." Nibutani and Mitsuki said simultaneously. The two girls glared at each other.
"Oh my…" Kumin giggled. "Maybe we should find some other way to decide before war erupts" She went over to the desk in the room and pulled out a small notepad. She tore a piece of paper out of it and ripped it into five pieces. She wrote the word "left" on two of the pieces and wrote "right" on the remaining three. She put the pieces face down on the desk so no one could see the words and then shuffled them.
"Everyone pick one piece, and it'll tell you which bed you'll be sleeping on." Kumin explained.
Nibutani walked over to the desk and picked up one of the pieces. She turned it over and it read "left". She crossed her fingers, hoping the Dekomori would pull the last piece that had the same word on it. Mitsuki picked next. Her piece placed her on the right bed. Kumin, who was the next to choose, was also put there. As Dekomori went to choose between the last two pieces, Nibutani could feel her heart beat wildly.
Dekomori grabbed a piece of paper and looked at it. The first year held it at angle where Nibutani was unable see it. Dekomori looked up at Nibutani and said, "It looks like I'll be forced to share with a fake." Nibutani inwardly cheered. She could see pure annoyance in Mitsuki's expression, but there was nothing the purple haired girl could do about the situation.
The girls changed into their pajamas and moved to their assigned sleeping spots. Most of them fell asleep right away, tired from spending hours at the festival, but Nibutani was the only one who couldn't seem to fall asleep. Her mind raced with thoughts of her evening with Dekomori. She couldn't stop thinking about the time they spent laughing with each other over the festival games, and watching Dekomori consume every piece of food in sight had been an incredible source of amusement. But what stuck out the most, was when Nibutani held the small girl's hand as they walked through the crowd.
Nibutani propped her head up on her hand. She looked at the sleeping girl next to her. Nibutani remembered their pinky touches while sitting on top of the hill. She felt like it was the closest thing to reciprocated feelings that she'd seen so far. They never had much contact that didn't involve some kind of fighting, so that gentle gesture had meant a lot to her.
Dekomori moved her body so she was facing Nibutani. Her long blonde hair, now hanging freely, fell slightly in front of her face. Nibutani reached out and brushed it away. As her fingers made contact with the other girl's skin, Nibutani felt a fiery sensation shoot up her fingers.
She looks so peaceful when she sleeps. It's completely different than when she's awake and at full energy. I can hardly believe this is the same person. Nibutani sighed and looked at the clock on the bedside table. It read 2:00. Nibutani pinched the bridge of her nose. It was bound to be another restless night.
Nibutani happened to glance past Dekomori, and was greeted with the piercing stare of two purple colored eyes. Nibutani, not expecting to meet someone else's eyes, shrieked in surprise, effectively waking the rest of the room's occupants.
Dekomori and Rikka sprang out of bed and assumed a battle position. Mitsuki switched the light on. Kumin was still asleep.
"What evil being dares attack us in the middle of the night?!" Rikka asked frantically.
"Calm down everyone. I just had a nightmare," Nibutani lied. She spotted Mitsuki staring at her, obviously aware of the truth behind her scream. Nibutani gulped. She hoped that Mitsuki hadn't seen her brief gesture of affection towards Dekomori.
"Of course it was only you, Fake Summer. You're always doing annoying things like this," Dekomori drawled. The first year crawled back into bed. The others followed suit. Mitsuki turned light back off.
Nibutani laid her head back down on her pillow. She noticed Dekomori facing her direction again, watching her. They held each other's gaze. Nibutani felt something brush against her hand. She looked down and saw Dekomori's smaller hand pressed against hers. Nibutani allowed the younger girl to interlock their fingers.
Dekomori closed her eyes and mumbled, "Just in case you have another nightmare…." The girl fell back asleep. Nibutani smiled and tightened her grip on the younger girl's hand. Feeling comforted by the contact, she drifted to sleep.