Ultimate Amiss VI

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His gaze keeps straying to the stationary stand to his right, rather than staying on what he came to get from the store. With an inward sigh Hajime steps toward it, looking over the items hanging off the hooks.

Each item was in the shape of some small animal, in varying chibi styles. Cute little accessories for everyday items: headphones, key rings, cell phones... His eyes stopped on a phone strap charm: a collection of red and white thread winding around a black cord that would attach to the cell phone, and dangling at the end was a white rabbit, smiling up at him, eyes in the shape of stars.

It reminded him of the hair clip Junko wore nearly every other day: also a white bunny, but just the head, the inner part of the ears tinted pink, with small beady black eyes. He was sure she would like it; and perhaps during her birthday he could give it to her. He certainly couldn't just give it to her out of the blue, without some holiday or celebration as an excuse. Only couples did that, right? Like a boyfriend or girlfriend...

And she wasn't his girlfriend.

Hajime picked up the charm from the hook, letting it slide into the center of his palm. Still, it would make her smile, she would say thank you when he gave it to her. Even if she didn't think anything more of it than a little gift, he wanted her to have it.

He walked over to the cashier, paying for the charm before returning to the place he had been at before he got distracted, slipping the charm into his pocket. But once again he could feel his eyes straying from their rather simple task. Except this time his gaze didn't stop on any of the store's items, instead falling on a group of girls hanging around the opposite entrance of the store.

Each one was wearing clothes from various fashion magazines, wearing their hair down, some makeup applied to their faces, and wearing a skirt even though spring had just begun. The chill of winter still hung in the air currently, but they left their legs exposed to the unforgiving weather. In all honesty, they were pretty, but just from a glance he knew even a girl like that wouldn't return the look. They weren't up to par with Junko, but then again he didn't think anyone could compete her. Though, he was quite biased when it came to her.

With Junko's recent breakthrough into the modeling business more people were noticing her as well. The sort of people that models like her actually hooked up with.

It was probably - no, it was entirely stupid of him to think he had a chance with her before she was even famous. Now, with her continued ascent into the elite she was slipping even further from him. He hadn't even seen her for five whole months because of how busy she was making that final push into the top magazines, working with actual professionals in the industry.

He should really stop kidding himself, just because they had been friends for so long. It didn't mean she was interested in him the same way he was into her.

This celebrity status she had obtained made it very plain to him. People hardly ever spent their lives with their first love. Why on earth had he thought he might be an exception to that rule?

A mutter sounded on the wind and he blinked, noticing one of the girls pointing in his direction, saying something to her friends.

Oh. Hajime could feel a slight burn in his cheeks. He had been caught.

The corner of his lips twitched up. He hadn't meant to space out like that while looking at them, realizing just how pathetic his whole thought process was. That fact just got pounded into his head even further when he heard their voices drift over to him, and he was sure they were raising their voices on purpose.

"He keeps staring, it's creepy." If he were in an anime there would likely be a sweat drop appearing at the back of his head.

"Is he trying to pick which one of us he wants to ask out?"

"You think so, too?"

"Well, if he does. Would you say yes?"

"What? No way. I have standards and he is so far below them."

Of course, they were snobby and completely full of themselves. Just because someone was pretty didn't mean they were all about rainbows and kittens.

The group was now laughing at the latest comment. "Right, right. He's as plain as they come."

"Besides, were only a few meters away and I can't spot any obvious muscle on his body. He clearly doesn't work out regularly."

"His fashion sense is lacking as well. That's a school shirt, isn't it?"

"No doubt, but I don't recognize the emblem."

"If another minute passes does his staring count as sexual harassment?"

...at this point it's because you keep talking about me.

Their voices trailed off in the next second though, their gazes shifting in usion to something behind him.

As soon as he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders he knew he was screwed. The girls were probably waiting here for their boyfriends, who had likely just heard the way he was being badgered by them. Yeah, he thought as he felt his body being forcibly turned away from the group and to whoever was standing behind him. He was about to be punched in the face by some yakuza wanna-be for 'looking at his gal.'

He was still debating whether he should close his eyes or not; if he should allow himself to look even more incompetent in those girl's eyes when he felt those hands began to run down his arms.

Hajime blinked as finely manicured nails wrapped around his wrists, eyes unable to close as they could only widen, watching as Junko drew even closer, head tilted slightly to the side, her own eyes closed when soft pink lips pressed against his own.

For a second he thought he had passed out from the non-existent punch to his head. And then he heard a loud click, accompanied by a bright flash.

Junko was pulling away in the next second, but he felt those fingers tighten around his left wrist, the other pair falling from his right. "Sayonara!" With a shout Junko took off running down the sidewalk and for a moment he stumbled after her, before regaining control of his momentum as she tugged him along.

He could hear a shout from behind him, something that sounded like, "Wait!" Maybe even yelling about how they wanted more shots, that they wanted to pick the best out of the bunch for the headlines. At least, that's what he thought the reporter was shouting about. The people around him had gotten rather rambunctious at the sight as well.

But all their words just fell from his ears as Junko continued to run through the crowded walkway with no obstacle in her chosen path. It probably had something to do with her own shouted words, "Move, please! Emergency! Magazine on ass! Thank you! Have a good day!"

He could still hear the reporter behind them, but Junko had just darted out onto the street when the cautionary light was flashing above. There were a few other pedestrians still making their way across as well, giving a collection of differing glances their way when they passed. This time when he heard a shout it was clear that reporter had gotten stuck in the throng, just as Junko stepped onto the sidewalk, now weaving between the pedestrians and somehow keeping a hold of his wrist.

Hajime simply did his best to keep up, keep his legs moving beneath him while his mind tried to reach his body. It was still lying on the ground across the intersection, as empty as the sky above them.

Junko abruptly moved off the sidewalk, dragging him into an alley to come to a halt, a triumphant grin on her face. Even though they must have lost the reporter ten minutes ago.

Hajime collapsed against the wall, bent over so his hands rested on his knees as he gasped for air. He really should have enlisted in track and field this year so he wouldn't be so winded when Junko dragged him along with her. It just hadn't occurred to him that taking a five month break from these little adventures of hers would leave him so exhausted when it happened again. Especially so suddenly.

"Hey Hajime," Junko spoke in such a way that he had to wonder if that run had effected her at all. Probably not. "You should come with me to a party tonight, we could catch up." Something akin to a laugh slipped past his lips at her choice of words.

He took in another breath to refill his lungs with air, the gears in his mind finally beginning to turn once more. Junko Enoshima had kissed him. She had kissed him, and now... and now-

"Come on. I promise it won't be boring. There'll be a few C and B-list celebrities, even. It's basically a, 'Welcome to the Industry' sort of thing, but it's also one of those parties." Junko's lips briefly curled into a frown as she said this and he knew this was the sort of thing she would skip if she could.

Her words ran on a rampant repeat in his head as he took this information in, along with her invitation to the sort of party most teenagers would dream about. She didn't look particularly happy about it, though. There were probably some VIP passes for fans that could afford it; he was sure her fan-base was expanding with her breakthrough, but he doubted there would be many new fans appearing this soon. Which meant those VIPs would be coming from the old batch. If the new fans were even aware of a party happening tonight in the first place.

She had also mentioned it being one of those parties. Which could only mean the people there would comment if she didn't bring someone with her, whether they were a girl or guy, but of course they would point out the latter first. Probably say something like, the younger generation needing to enjoy life more, that they had more opportunities to make mistakes with the sort of people they associated with. When he appeared at this party and then not the next that's what the tabloids would say, especially after that reporter had snapped that picture.

But he couldn't just let her go by herself, he was familiar with those fans she had at the beginning of her modeling career and those types would surely be trying to take advantage of a party like this.

Hajime glanced at Junko, who was still looking at him with a hopeful smile. He couldn't let her down, even if it meant he might be ridiculed even further by far more people later. Besides, he hadn't had any other plans for tonight, and he would rather keep those creeps away from her. "Yeah," he said standing up to lean against the wall. "I'll go."

"Great!" She gave a little hop, clapping her hands together. "There's still a few hours before it begins, but you can come with me until then." Well, he was suppose to get some things from the store, but he wasn't sure about going back there right this second; and it's not like he needed anything from there immediately.

Hajime just gave a nod of his head before she slipped her fingers around his, once again pulling him along as she navigated the maze of alleys and short-cuts back to the agency's building.

The moment they had entered a stylist had jumped on them, scolding Junko for being late and prattling on about them not having a lot of time left. Without even a glance at Hajime the woman had pulled Junko into a room, inadvertently taking Hajime with her. But when the stylist noticed he was there after 'repairing' Junko's makeup, Junko had just called him her plus one.

And he had been pulled into the tornado the woman was making around the room within seconds. Hajime wasn't entirely sure what was going on; he just knew he was being told off, having a suit and dress shoes thrown at him, being directed behind a changing screen in the room after the woman had barked at an assistant to get him something more suitable for the party. Oh, and he could hear Junko laughing as he was sure he had gone into a state of shock during the whole process.

He had managed to change rather mechanically beyond the screen, but opted to stay behind it to just stay out of the eye of the hurricane and avoid getting pulled in once more.

So Hajime only stuck his head out around the changing screen when Junko said it was time to go, evidently ignoring the woman that seemed to be muttering to herself about how she didn't know how they were going to get to the party on time.

Junko was now wearing a dress as she motioned for him to come out from behind the screen with a single pink-colored nail, lips painted a bright gold. The dress was a deep red, light pink swirls imprinted on the surface, practically fading right into the fabric. The sleeves merely slipped over her shoulders that had been dusted in some gold glitter. The neckline dipping down in a v, showing off a rhondonite pendant that was... more-or-less nestled in her cleavage. The dress stopped halfway down her thigh, the bottom holding a crotchet detailing, making the edges look a bit frayed.

Her strawberry blonde hair had been re-styled as well. It was no longer pulled up into a pair of pig tails, but hanging down, curling around her frame in waves. A single black rose was clipped into her hair, pulling any stray strands away from the left side of her face.

If it weren't for the high black buckle boots she wore she would look like a fairy. Even with them he couldn't deny that they somehow complimented the outfit.

Fashion was something that was lost on him, which is why he had hardly glanced at his own suit, but he figured the assistant had given him something to combat the glow of Junko, perhaps with a dash of that focus color. Which would likely be the tie now that he thought about it.

After another second passed he stepped out from behind the screen, feeling Junko link her arm with his a moment later. He avoided meeting anyone's gaze as she led him down a hallway, going outside to climb into a company car so they could be taken to the location of the party.

According to the time displayed and what the woman had said back at the agency they were a full fifteen minutes late, not that anyone said a word about it when they actually entered the building. He trusted Junko to have timed her arrival in such a way that would be considered both fashionable and realistic, considering the amount of traffic at this hour.

"Hey, Junko! Congratulations on making it big!"

Nearly every guest came up and told her essentially the same thing throughout the night, most not saying much to him, but he figured it was because they didn't recognize him as anyone important.

Of course, eventually someone asked about him. "Who is this with you? A boyfriend?" The woman winked as she said this, making a few heads actually turn in interest.

"This is my friend, Hajime." Junko replied, giving a small tug on his arm when she spoke, not actually answering the lady's last question.

He thought that particular subject would be dropped then, but one man raised their voice as they were sitting near the bar. "Just a friend? I saw the online picture of you two. You can't deny it."

"Hmm." Junko mimicked a pout with her lips, but he could tell she wasn't being serious when she said, "We're good friends."

Her performance made the man laugh out loud, taking the bait as Hajime could feel a few of the men now looking at him with suspicious eyes. It was obvious he didn't belong here, but he was stopping them from saying anything more to Junko than a hello and some simple idle chatter.

He refused to leave her side for even a second as he could see one of those VIPs looking at her in such a way it should be sexual harassment. His lips pulled down into a grimace when that particular man got up from his seat, making his way over to them. He stopped short of Junko by a foot, then leaned in, breath stinking of alcohol, as he directed his words to Hajime, "You sure are a bright one, aren't you? With Junko Enoshima on your arm you could make the front page of any magazine easily. Quite an easy step up in society."

His fingers twitched at his side, just before he felt them connect with the man's face, now curled into a fist. The man fell like a sack of potatoes, arms flying up to cradle his head the moment he touched the floor. "Say that again, you sack of shit," his words seemed to bounce off the walls as the entire room had gone quiet.

A hand settled on his shoulder for the second time that day. "Hajime?" He could hear her voice at his ear as her other hand settled against his left pocket, and for a moment he wasn't focused on the disgusting creature that called itself human in front of him.

Through the fabric he could feel her fingers brush over the top of the pocket, and that little bump there from the charm. He had moved it into the suit's pocket after changing, wanting to make sure he didn't lose it. But it wasn't for now, it was suppose to be for a holiday, possibly even a foreign one.

"What's this?" Junko's fingers dipped into the pocket, pulling the charm out with ease.

He forced his gaze to turn and meet her own eyes. "That's for you," he said, only listening to the increased beating of his heart that sounded in his ears as she looked at the little chibi charm.

"For me?" she repeated, and then her lips curved up into a smile. "That's so nice of you." He could feel a soft burn on his cheeks a moment later, his world expanding from her to include the rest of the room when she simply dropped the charm into her cleavage.

Everyone was staring at them.

The man on the floor made a sound, as if he was about to say something when Junko's boot fell on the carpet just a centimeter away from his hand. "Come on," she said, arm wrapped around his elbow as she stepped over the man on the floor, heading to the door beyond the crumpled form on the floor.

Hajime followed after her, stepping over the man as well. He could see her manager out of the corner of his eye: sitting at the bar, drinking from a glass with a little umbrella in it, just watching the scene rather than calling security over; just before he stepped over the threshold leading out of the room.