Chouchou Yosei

Chapter 24!

Previously: the Cultural Festival preparation has started, with class 1-A, Gray's class, doing a haunted house. 1-B, Juvia's, is having a bowling game! Those two have been walking home together every Wednesday and slowly their relationship is building!

Those are so dramatic, I love writing them.

NEW CHARACTER ALERT!

Class 1-B hustled in excitement, painting the last of the red stripes on the big, 5 feet bowling pins. Juvia and Lucy continued making the paper mâché bowling balls, while Levy helped the boys tape the windows over.

"Levy, we need more paper!" Yelled a boy

"Ah, also were low on paint!" Added a girl.

"Okay! Juvia-chan, Lucy-chan! Can you help me carry the stuff!" Levy asked when she noticed they just finished.

Juvia nodded and they left the classroom. For 10 years, Juvia only had Lucy at her side and she was comfortable with just that but since high school has started and they met new people. Juvia's world has really brightened, she smiled to herself. Levy was her reminder of that.

She was always so smiley, and carefree. Levy got along great with everyone and she really brought up the mood. Juvia remembered the day she said she wanted to talk more, and Levy immediately suggested books. The poem she wrote for her secret crush, the one she couldn't tell her best friends. Juvia couldn't fathom why a guy wouldn't like her.

Levy was truly beautiful inside and out.

"Natsu-kun!" The said girls voice yelled out, Juvia looked up to see Gray and Natsu standing outside of their classroom. They each held black paper and were darkening their classroom.

"How's class 1-A's preparation?" Levy asked as she hopped over to them cheerfully

"So-So!" Natsu sighs "it's boring setting up!"

Juvia stares at Gray until they share eye contact. He bows his head and she returns the gesture before they went on their way. Levy matched the pace of Juvia and smiled at her.

"You two..." She giggled tenderly "he acts so stoic at school, but when it's just you he is so bold and cute!"

Juvia blushes at her words, and slowly Levy felt awkward about herself "well, you at least got to feel good about yourself?" The pretty girl shook her head, flustered and embarrassed.

"You don't have to lie!" Levy laughed lightly.

Juvia felt herself get raveled in her thoughts, the rest of the day flew by and before she knew it. Gray was beside her, walking her home.

"... It... Feels great... Things like this... Truthfully I'm also feeling... Anxious..."

Gray gave her a long side look before coughing lightly and starting a conversation with Juvia.

"How's... Class 1-B's preparation going?"

"Ah... We did lots of touch ups today..." She responded after glancing at her notebook. "And class 1-A's?"

Gray simply nodded and another silence was dragged on. After what felt like hours to Juvia he finally looked down and said,

"Then, we can continue going home together with no problems."

Juvia blushed, and as she looked at his embarrassed stature. She blushed even more. Juvia lost her footing and drifted away from Gray, she hobbled into a couple and snapped out of it. They simply laughed and went on their way, as Juvia stood in fluster.

"It feels great! It really does!" She smiled lightly and bowed to them as an apology.

"Juvia-San..." Gray said, he stood behind her, a little confused.

She nods as a sign she's okay and looked across the road to a couple walking hand in hand. Envy, a feeling she was not used to, welled up in her stomach. Juvia remembered the way Grays hand fit into hers and the way it was covered in callouses from karate. She wanted it back. Juvia set her gaze back on him and his back as he walked slowly away.

"Are we... Friends?..." She looked away "or is he walking me home as classmates...?"

"Huh?" A husky voice said as he stood on the other of the road.

A broad figure wore a different school uniform, and he has long black hair tied in a ponytail. His face adorned multiple piercings to his tan skin, and piercing red eyes tore through Gray. That was the body of the voice. Two people walked beside him, though short compared to size, stopped when he did. They followed his gaze to a particular blue haired beauty and black haired man. The one on the right huffed

"Someone you know?" He asked

"No..." He continued walking "probably mistook him for someone else.."

A mischievous smile spread across his face and a signature laugh slipped from the mouth. "Gray would never walk home with a girl!"

"We're done! All that's left is the decorations!" Levy yelled in excitement as they set the final pin down. It's Thursday, and tomorrow was the Cultural Festival! Levy was especially excited and she hopped out of the classroom

"Natsu-kun!" She said to the pink haired boy, who currently sat on a ladder "is class 1-A done?"

"Yeah! All that's left is to tidy!" He responded with a toothy grin.

For the next 30 minutes, the class did the last minute touches and when the last piece of trash was picked up they all shouted in victory. Levy wandered around the classroom giving high fives, she smiled brightly and seemed so excited.

"We can have okonomyaki! And also caramel popcorn! Than there's the gym for the live concert! Oh and the haunted house!" She went on.

"Levy your too exci-" Lucy started to say but in a simple footing error, she toppled backwards and fell onto one of the big bowling pins. She froze in terror and turned around slowly to see it in a crumpled mess.

Levy could hear the moans and groans of her classmates, she messed it all up. It was her fault, they worked hard on that and now they can't use it. She felt hot tears gather in her eyes, suddenly a cold hand settled on her knee and she turned to see Juvia looking at her in concern.

"Juvia..." Her voice and body shook "you should go first, you promised to meet Gray-kun."

Juvia shook her head and grabbed Levy's hand. "Please... You promised to walk home with him..."

She shook her head again "I'm alright... Levy-chan... Are you hurt?" Juvia's voice was soft and full of concern

"Yeah..." Levy said and she stood back up. The class chattered, as Juvia held Levy's hand and Lucy picked up the broken bowling pin.

"Everyone, let's fix it quickly before we go!" Lucy yelled

"No! I can do it, go ahead and leave!" The short bluenette yelled

The class laughed and ignored Levy's persistence, they started fixing it and chatted like nothing ever happened. It took an extra hour to fix it, but everyone laughed and tears of happiness rushed down Levy's face.

"Thank you!" She rubbed them away and the class laughed

"Treat it as a memory!" One said

"Gray-kun... Certainly went home..."

The three left quickly and as the reached the shoe lockers, Juvia lightly grabbed Levy's sleeve. She smiled gently as a way to say 'no hard feelings'. Levy stared in shock than a warm and tear streaked smile spread across her face. They laughed lightly, and a bigger smile spread across each of their faces.

"I wish... That Levy will smile forever..."

"Alright! Let's drop by the cafe" her words slow down "oh!"

Gray stood in front of them looking worried, he was gazing into streets and finally he reached them. A look of relief spread across his face when he saw the group of girls. Juvia took a step forward and stood in front.

"Why?"

"We said to meet at the cafe..." She said meekly

"Well... You were oddly late, so I thought... You were still at school." He looks away, blushing lightly "thank goodness..."

"Once again, he came to get me..."

They split up, and Gray and Juvia walked on the similar route. She held her bashes straps tightly as she walked side by side to him.

"I'm going home together with him..."

"It's almost-" Juvia caught herself "tomorrow is the cultural festival..."

"Uh.. Yeah.." Gray responded

"I didn't bring my notebook... Things that occurred today..."

"Levy-chan broke the bowling pin, she was talking about Okonomyaki and such..."

"Oh...?" He responded

"He came to get me..."

"Gray-kun... What are you looking forward to?" Juvia asked as she stared at him in the corner of her eye.

"Tomorrow too... We're going home together..."

He stared at her for a little bit before looking away, a coat of blush on his face. "Class 1-A's bowling looks fun... I'm interested in games I can score in..."

A pregnant silence before Gray looked at her and nervously asked "what about you, Juvia-San?"

"I..." Her eyes looked away

"Juvia-San... I think I'm a lucky person... To be able to walk home with him, not using formal language... But even so..." She looked back at him "what does Juvia-San mean to you? Are we simply friends? Or even worst, just classmates?"

"Caramel popcorn and..." Her voice grew shaky "the... Haunted house.."

An idea occurred, and suddenly she stopped. Her feet don't move and it took a couple paces before Gray noticed and turned around. With a small tilt to her head and a blush apparent on her cheeks, she stared at the one she likes.

"Gray-kun..." She took a small breath "lets look around the cultural festival together."

His eyes widen to her proclamation.

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