The alarm clock startled Kotoha. She realized she had been tossing and turning throughout the night and hadn't been able to sleep. The young vassal slowly rise out of her bed to get ready for her "date" with Takeru.
"Nani? Chiaki! Aren't you at least concerned about Kotoha?" Kotoha paused and leaned in closer to the wall to listen to the conversation between Chiaki and Mako.
"Nee-san… It is just a date! Besides I rather play video games than Takeru and Kotoha all day! See ya later!" Chiaki left Mako.
At the same time, Takeru tried to eavesdrop the conversation between Ryunosuke and Genta.
"Ryunosuke! Do you know I have to make a living? I mean, I have to sell sushi! I am a SUSHI SELLER! HELL NO I am following Take-chan and Kotoha-chan! That is disrespectful of me!" Genta stormed off the room.
The devoted vassal sighed in defeat but looked up to find Mako, walking up to him with hesitation, "Mako?"
"Ryunosuke." Mako speaks to her ex-boyfriend for the first time since the break-up.
Chiaki and Genta looked around to see if anyone is in the corridor, they turned to Takeru, "Remember… we'll be watching over them! Genta and I will be helping you to act more like a boyfriend to Kotoha!"
"By using this…" Genta explained, handing an earpiece, "You put this on, and we'll come up ways for you to act around Kotoha so Mako and Ryunosuke would react!"
Takeru nodded and went to Kotoha's room; he gently tapped the wooden frame, the door slid to reveal a smiling Kotoha. He found her smile infectious and couldn't help but smile back. The lord and vassal quietly walked out of the Shiba mansion, followed by Mako and Ryunosuke. Though they were discreetly following them, they sorely stuck out with huge glasses, oversized coats and woolen caps covering their hair.
They sat on the bus. Takeru took a seat next to Kotoha, "Are you ready?"
Kotoha nervously nodded, "Hai… But do you think we can pull it off without getting caught?" The young vassal asked.
"Takeru! Put your arm around Kotoha…." Chiaki stated in Takeru's earpiece. The lord put his arm around Kotoha and gave her a reassuring smile in which Kotoha returned. A girly voice gasped.
"Everything is according to plan…" An elderly with a too-perfect white hair smirked. He is sitting at the back of the bus where he has the perfect view of what is happening. He found it amusing how Takeru's simple action had made Ryunosuke to gasp like a girl. Mako had to hit him to avoid suspicion.
His companion grinned at Mako and Ryunosuke, "We will do our best in getting them back together, right Chiaki?"
Chiaki coughed and made a weird voice, "It's not Chiaki! It's Jii-san!"
Genta with a grey beard realized his mistake, "That's right… Jii-san!" The two Shinkengers were dressed as elderly men. Their attempted disguise was at least better than Ryunosuke and Mako's. As long as they do not talk in their normal voice, they continued to observe the couple in front of them.
The bus reached the destination: The Amusement Park. Kotoha turned to her lord, "Tono-sama, let's have fun today!"
Takeru couldn't help it as a red tint appeared on his cheeks as he nodded, "A-ah…"
Mako had her eyes glued to her binoculars at all time. Takeru… If you hurt her in anyway, I will it my personal mission to make you miserable even though you are the lord! She thought darkly. So far Takeru had won a soft toy of the Maneki Neko and bought her cotton candy. The lord really treated Kotoha well, he made sure to have her smiling. The ShinkenPink couldn't help but sigh at how fun Kotoha is having in her date.
Ryunosuke, who had been observing them, heard Mako's sigh. He turned to her and detects envy on her face. Mako is envy of Kotoha? The ShinkenBlue wondered but then realized that Mako had been longing to have a decent date. Sure they did spent a lot of time when they were dating but eating your girlfriend's home-made bento doesn't really count as a date. The realization made him guilty and he began to doubt his father's words of protecting his lord as his absolute priority.
"Ah! This is not good!" Genta exclaimed.
"What's wrong?" Chiaki asked as he saw Kotoha gently pulling Takeru to a small fast food shop.
"Kotoha-chan and Take-chan are having fast food for lunch…" Genta stuttered.
"And?"Chiaki didn't see anything wrong with the scenario.
"Take-chan has a weak stomach…" Genta stated.
Takeru was used to fresh sashimi or anything home-made by the kuroko. His stomach does not quite agree with the oily French fries, a greasy burger and a huge cup of gaseous coke. He shifted slightly in his seat, hoping that he could stomach this meal better than Mako's cooking.
Idly, he turned his attention to his "date" who was now absorbed in the Pixar animation that he paid no attention to. He still did not figure how Kotoha manage to persuade him to watch a cartoon movie in the cinema. His eyes gazed on her; I must have a soft spot for her. He finally admits to himself as he could not say no to her big innocent eyes.
"Takeru… make a move!" Genta stated and Takeru felt hesitated at the order.
Nevertheless, he put his arm around Kotoha and gently put her head on his shoulder. "Eh?" Kotoha asked.
There was an outraged squeal somewhere from the back. No doubt it was Ryunosuke. This resulted in a huge chorus of shushes from the audience and a fiercely whispered "What's your problem?" that Mako could had pull off.
"Shhh, watch the movie…" Takeru whispered as he rested his head on top of hers and slowly nuzzled her hair. Kotoha felt her heart pounding and was thankful for the darkness of the theatre. At least it hid the deep blush on her face.
Takeru wondered on how oddly quiet Kotoha was during dinner. He debated that maybe bringing her to an expensive Japanese restaurant had intimidated her. She wanted to eat somewhere simpler but nonetheless she did owe him for the abuse his stomach had endured.
"Tono-sama! Daijoubu?" Kotoha reached Takeru as he fell gracefully onto the ice while he was in deep thoughts.
"Erm… I'm not very good at ice-skating" Takeru admitted.
Kotoha held his hands, unaware of the fact that she pulled him closer to her, making his face flushed as the young vassal tried to balance the both of them.
Mako watched from her binoculars. Takeru and Kotoha were laughing as Kotoha gently led Takeru but allowed him to occasionally twirl her around. Like a hopeless romantic, she smiles at the little moments they had, like: how Kotoha would always held him when he nearly loses his balance or the tender look Takeru gives her when his spins her around, making her squeal in happiness.
Maybe Takeru cares for Kotoha after all… Mako's mind is put at ease as she came to the conclusion that Kotoha would not suffer heartache. She turned to leave but crash into Ryunosuke in the process. The ShinkenPink tensed and was about to step back but Ryunosuke's arms encircled her into a hug. She tried protesting.
"Please…. I miss you… Let me enjoy this…" Ryunosuke murmured as he nuzzled her hair. Eventually Mako gave in, realizing how much she misses his warmth.
"YES!" Chiaki and Genta who were hiding in the bushes, were jumping in joy and doing their victory dance.
"Tono-sama! Look!" Kotoha cried out with excitement.
Takeru peeked to the side to see Ryunosuke and Mako embracing for the first time in weeks!
"It worked!" Kotoha smiled.
"Now for the finale…" Takeru stated.
"Eh?" Kotoha asked.
Grinning, Takeru silently raised his hand and snapped his finger. On cue, the sky exploded with fireworks, decorating the dark sky with bright colors. He didn't have to see how magnificent the fireworks were as he knew from Kotoha's face.
There was delight and awe in her face. Her smile. The fact that he made her smile pleased him. He glanced at the side to see that Mako and Ryunosuke had finally made up.
Finally he thought No more tension in the mansion!
Kotoha yawned and felt her eyes fluttering. Her eyes were opened wide when she found out that Takeru is giving her a piggy-back.
"Tono-sama!" She gasped.
"Oh… you're awake? That's good! We're reaching the mansion soon so you can finally go to bed!" Takeru stated.
I must have fallen asleep on the bus… Kotoha thought. She thought about the day and realized how much fun she had, "Tono-sama… Arigatou gozaimasu! I will remember this date!"
Takeru chuckled. If only Kotoha knew what a date means. But it didn't bother him the slightest as it had at least give Kotoha fond memories of him.
They reached the mansion to find Chiaki and Genta looking pictures of Mako and Ryunosuke on Chiaki's Sodophone. The duo finally got rid of their elderly disguise and was celebrating the reunion of Mako and Ryunosuke by pizza take-out.
Both Takeru and Kotoha went to their respective bedrooms.
Before Kotoha went to sleep, she received a photo from Chiaki on her Sodophone.
"For memories of Tono-sama!" The message stated and the photo showed Takeru with whiskers, doing a pose of the Maneki Neko. That was the time Takeru had his soul switched with the statue of the Maneki Neko. She giggled at the photo. She looked at the Maneki Neko doll that Takeru had won her.
Kotoha declared "You are Neko-Tono!" The young vassal hugged her new doll to sleep, slipping into sweet dreams.
Takeru received a message from Genta. It stated, "When are you gonna make your move?"
The message has a photo attached to the message. The photo had Kotoha's smiling face when she was watching the fireworks. He made that picture as the wallpaper on his Sodophone, thinking Someday as he went to sleep.
~Next day~
Everything was back to normal. Mako and Ryunosuke had reconciled. They were in the kitchen, spending quality time together. Ryunosuke is teaching Mako how to properly cook.
Takeru was on his way to the garden to train. He was about to call Ryunosuke when Chiaki and Genta pulled him to the side.
"Hey! What are you guys doing?" Takeru asked the duo.
Chiaki and Genta folded their arms and put on their sternest face, "Take-chan! Chiaki and I have been thinking on the cause of Mako and Ryunosuke's break-up! We have come to the conclusion that you are the HUGEST factor behind it!"
"Eh?" Takeru was confused.
"You see… Every time you want to train seriously, you call Ryunosuke who is always spending time with Mako! So you see... Mako broke up with Ryunosuke because he is very devoted to you as a vassal who obeys your every command!" Chiaki explained.
"Who can I train with?" Takeru defended himself.
The duo smirked and pulled him towards the garden, they hid behind the door to see Kotoha practicing her sword work on a dummy.
"Chiaki is busy playing video games, Mako and Ryunosuke are busy spending time together and I am busy selling sushi!" Genta stated the fact.
"Takeru! You do not need Ryunosuke to train with! You have another devoted vassal! And a cute one too!" This earned Chiaki a death glare from Takeru.
Genta smirked, "Take-chan! You can train with Kotoha-chan! Her sword work is straight-forward and not hesitant. I say she is almost as good as Ryunosuke and you!"
"So we're off" Chiaki bid Takeru as the duo left the lord.
The lord took a moment to observe Kotoha. She clothed in the traditional white samurai robe complete with navy blue hakama pants, white tabi socks, and wooden geta sandals. She swung her shinai with certainty at the training dummy in front of her, letting out a loud yell with each hit.
Genta is right Takeru mused, Her sword work is straight-forward and there's no hesitation.
"Kotoha!" Takeru called out, stepping into the garden.