91. Answers
Sakaki stretched, enjoying the last few seconds of his break. Io walked in and sat down beside him, sighing and undoing the tie so he could breathe. "Your shift." He muttered before helping himself to the cold water he'd brought with him.
"I know I know. Thanks for your help." Sakaki chided before he left the room. The first hour went pretty quickly. The second hour however. Not so fast. The girls at one of his tables (conveniently) forgot a magazine. They'd already left by the time he came by to clear their table, much too late to find them and return it. And he would have. If he hadn't seen the words Are you in love?that is.
Now that he had something to look forward to at the end of the day he couldn't wait for closing time. Walking into the kitchen Sakaki located Hime. "Himecchi!"
"Yes?" Said girl turned around, eager to help in whatever way she could. "Ah, Sakaki. What do you need?"
"Lookit what I have." He shoved the magazine at her face. She dusted her hands off on her apron, already having finished putting the last bit of desserts in the oven to bake, and closed her hands around the colorful pack of pages.
"A girl's magazine." Hime stated matter-of-factly. Despite this she flipped through it, noting a few tips for better skin amongst other things. "Sakaki, why did you show me this? If you don't mind me asking."
"Turn to page 27." His coy grin gave her shivers. Poor Io. She immediately thought, knowing something detrimental would occur.
"Are you in love? No. I don't think so-Oooooh." Hime looked up at him. "Do you really think it'll work? What if he's not? Sakaki-kun, what if he's completely normal? What do we tell Tsumiki?" Her voice rose in hysteria. Sakaki quickly did a once over of the kitchen and the surrounding areas, looking for eavesdroppers. He placed his hands on her shoulders to calm her before putting a finger to his lips to hush her.
"Here's what we're going to do. I need you to find some paper, rip out the answer calculations and hide it in your clothes or something, and rip out the quiz so he doesn't know where it's from. After work, when we're done cleaning and waiting for my sister to finish her last bits of work we'll—or I'll—give him the quiz and convince him to take it home if we don't get through it before my sister's done. Then tomorrow evening we'll look over the answers. We can call Mayoi over tomorrow night as well." His eyes were bright, the grin wide on his face. Hime mulled it over, thinking about what could go wrong. She'd clearly been with Tsumiki long enough to be the (somewhat) logic of the conversation—unfortunately it wasn't enough to keep up with the crazy unnatural antics of their group…
Her shoulders slumped slightly as a sigh exited her mouth, "Alright, let's do it."
Sakaki held out the magazine to her. Hime rolled it up and shoved it in the pocket of her uniform under the apron. "Now go! Act normal, so he doesn't realize what we're up to!" She whisper-yelled, shooing him out of the kitchen. Giddy now, Hime hummed happy tunes as she bustled about cleaning up the aftermath of her dessert making.
"Hey Io! Come 'ere. I need you to take this test." Sakaki called to him just moments after they finished cleaning and closing up for the night at Hotch Potch.
He walked out, finishing buttoning the top of his shirt. "Take what?"
"This test!" Sakaki sat him down and handed him a pencil all the while covertly covering the title of the quiz.
1. Do you smile naturally at...a. peopleb. animalsc. it depends on the persond. a particular pers-
"Sakaki, am I taking a personality quiz?" Io deadpanned, annoyed that he was taking such a thing.
"Sure! Just finish it ok? I'll do it after you if it makes you feel better." Sakaki tried to comfort his friend somehow, just to make sure he'd finish and total up the answers. Everyone wanted to know if he was capable of loving someone, a particular someone.
"Sakaki? We've got to wake up early tomorrow to bake the bread we made last night, remember?" His sister walked in, yawning. Leaning over on the table she noted the quiz in Io's hands. "A quiz, huh? Not always reliable. But still fun. Enjoy Io!" She smiled and turned to Sakaki once more, "But we do actually need to go home, we'll lock up after you."
Io took his cue and shuffled the papers into a pile, leaving the quiz on top so he could read it on the way home. "Bye Sakaki, Hime, Miiko-nee-san." The door chimed on his way out. Immediately, Miiko turned to Sakaki.
"That was a magazine quiz wasn't it?" Hime stepped out from the kitchen, relinquishing her prime spot of viewing what would have been Io answering the quiz. "Hime, why is Io taking the quiz?" Miiko asked, knowing Sakaki wouldn't divulge much too her.
She shifted, her clothes rustling with the movement. "Well… We're all a little—"
"A lot." Sakaki interrupted smoothly.
"—Curious as to whether or not Io's in love with Tsumiki." Miiko's facial expression changed to one of understanding.
"Well that will certainly give interesting responses. Well, for another time. Ready Sakaki?" She stepped out, holding the door for her younger brother and his friend before locking the closed door behind her.
"Aww man. I wanted to sleep in too." Sakaki groaned as the realization of his chores in the morning sunk in.
The lunch bell rang, and as usual, Sakaki and Io were out the window, racing towards the shop to get their beloved bread. As their teacher sighed, Hime turned to Mayoi. "Mayoi-chan! Did Sakaki tell you about what he had Io-kun?"
The ominous laughter coming from her made Tsumiki cringe, a rarity even for her, before Mayoi spoke, "oh yessss…"
"What's going on?" Tsumiki asked while moving her desk into the usual grouping. "Mayoi?" Her cat glare sharpened and focused on the grinning girl, sending a chill down the girl's spine.
"Oh. Wondering."
"Sakaki-kun gave Io-kun a quiz to determine whether or not he was in love with someone!" Hime squeaked, she couldn't help it. She'd been waiting all day to tell her two friends. She flinched when the sliding door slammed open. Her gaze flitted up to Sakaki's for just a moment before focusing on her lunch box.
"Saaaaay. Iiiiooo…" The leer was on Mayoi's face was a near double to Sakaki's. "Did you ever finish what I gave you?" By this point, Sakaki was leaning on the desk, Io was sitting in his seat, and Tsumiki's ears twitched in anticipation.
"I did. Left it at home though. Sorry Sakaki, you even said you were going to do the test. I'll bring it tomorrow." The thud on the floor was Sakaki hitting the floor.
Sighs, even from the little catgirl, went round the table.
"Io, do you have it today?"
"Yes, here." He handed Sakaki the loose-leaf with his answers and the questionnaire. "So why did I do this?" His close friend of many years rested his head on his palms and grinned his typical I'm-hiding-something-and-won't-tell-you-for-a-whil e grin. The deadpan look on Io's face made him laugh sheepishly, but he took the paper and the magazine page regardless.
"I'll tell you the results later! I have to go help Miiko-nee in the shop, enjoy your day off!" Sakaki bolted from the classroom, knowing that Io would accept the excuse because Miiko-nee was someone not to be trifled with.
When he got to Hotch Potch he found the gang (save Io) present and accounted for. He pulled out the papers and grinned.
"He's…. Not even on the chart. That's not supposed to be possible. Sakaki, are you sure you gave him every part of the quiz?" Mayoi desperately questioned.
Tsumiki suddenly grabbed the quiz answer key and flipped it over. There lay ten more questions. "Does that answer your question Mayoi…?" The figurative ears on her drooped sadly.
The group sighed. This would be a difficult path towards a happily ever after.
A/N: I do not own Acchi Kocchi
Thanks to everyone who's favorited/followed in the last couple weeks (my email kinda sorta blew up with notifications. Not that I'm complaining. Reminded me I had stories to write)!
Well. That's two done... Of I don't remember how many. Best I wrap this one up quick because my stomach is up to it's usual tricks and is in the process of rendering me incapable of doing anything and it royally sucks. -sighs- In other news. It's still going to take me a while to type up each and every theme you guys wanted. My deepest and sincerest apologies.
Hope you all enjoyed, see you... When I next post... Which shouldn't take as long. Presuming I don't have a lapse in judgement and allow procrastination to rule (who am I kidding of course I'm going to procrastinate)
Ja ne!