Chapter 20: You've Been Working Out.
"Ahh..." Yanagi moaned as she slipped into the hot spring. The rest of the girls followed her and sat on the rock formations that made natural benches for them to perch on.
"I'm glad you ladies could join us." Neon leaned back. "We were worried we'd only get to see you all at the engagement party."
"We?" Aki teased her sister. "You mean you. I think the last time you got to sit down for more than a minute was two days ago. What with all the preparations..."
"Alright, alright already!" Neon laughed and splashed some water in her direction. "It does feel like I've done nothing except plan for the wedding. But it's in three weeks, and everything isn't even half done..."
"Whoa! Slow down there." Kagerou admonished, gently. "You're here to relax."
"Thank you." Neon gripped the older woman's arm affectionately. "But now that I've got all you girls here, I'd really like to talk to you about the fittings for the bridal entourage."
"You got the design sketches?" Miki leaned forward.
"Yes. They got delivered early this morning." Her older sister replied. "I chose the deep rose red design, and I think it's a great color theme for the wedding." She reached up behind her and pulled down a clearbook containing several sketches. "I was also worried that I wouldn't be able to find a flower girl in time."
Everyone grinned at Tanya, who smiled back shyly and said "I'd be happy to do it, if... if you really want me to."
"Of course, I do." Neon gave her a gentle smile and flipped a page of the clearbook. "Would you like to see what your dress will look like?"
Tanya got up and scooted closer to the bride-to-be.
Neon scooped her up onto her lap and pointed to one of the sketches.
Tanya lightly ran her fingers over the page. "It's pretty." It was a sleeveless gown, as deep red as a fresh rose. It wasn't too puffy or girly, and nothing indicated that it would have lace.
"I'm glad you think so." Neon pulled the child into a hug and passed the clearbook around for the rest of the girls to check out the bridal entourage dresses.
There were squeals of appreciation as each of the girls had a look at the designs.
"Simple, but elegant." Kagerou said. "She's a very good designer, this Renma Lino."
"She's Raiha's older sister." Neon explained. "One of those up-and-coming young talents in the Japanese fashion industry."
At the mention of Raiha's name, Yanagi, Ganko, and Tanya all turned to Fuuko, who averted her eyes and seemed to be absorbed in watching the steam rise from the waters of the hot spring.
"Speaking of which, have you bumped into him yet, Fuuko?" Miki asked. "He was really excited when all of you accepted our invitation to come here."
''I'll bet he was.' Fuuko forced a smile and looked up. "Yes, we did bump into him. Just yesterday, in fact."
"I hope you don't mind me saying, but I thought you two made a great couple." Miki wrung out her pink locks. "He really wants to get back together with you."
"He did... mention that." Fuuko clenched her hands into fists.
"Oooooh!" Aki scooted closer to her. "So? Did you say yes?"
"I... told him I'd think about it." Fuuko replied.
"You should let him be your date to the engagement party!" Miki exclaimed, excitedly.
"Alright, you two. Stop it." Neon silenced her siblings with a look. "Forgive my sisters, Fuuko. Ever since I got engaged, They've been into matchmaking everyone else."
"It's alright." Fuuko finally let a smile light up her face. "He says I owe him a dance at the engagement party."
As the girls reveled in their soak at the hot springs, The Hokage boys were getting their game on in the Badminton courts.
THWING! Domon swung a powerful hit that bounced the shuttlecock back over to Tokiya and Kaoru's side. "Try and get that!"
Tokiya easily stepped forward and hit it back across the net. "That all you got, gorilla?"
Domon laughed and let Recca take a shot. Kaoru lunged but failed to reach it in time.
"HA!" Recca yelled. "That's two to nil!" He and Domon bumped chests.
Tokiya grinned in spite of himself. He had to admit, his teammates still had the agility that allowed them to win the UBS all those years ago.
Recca checked his watch. "We're supposed to meet my brother at 11:30 at the hot springs. Rematch tomorrow?"
"You bet." Kaoru clapped the flame-master's hand and slapped high-fives with Tokiya. "Nice swing back there. Sorry I didn't get that last pitch."
"We'll get them back tomorrow." Tokiya put a hand on his shoulder and followed his friends into the showers.
Minutes later, they joined Kurei outside the double doors of the hot springs.
"Enjoying yourselves?" He asked good-naturedly, as he led the way inside.
"Sure have, big bro." Recca clapped his brother hard on the back, which nearly made him stumble forward.
"Easy!" Kurei grabbed him in a headlock. "Getting married in three weeks, remember? Can't afford any accidents, or my fiancee' will kill me herself."
"Good morning, Sir." the receptionist greeted them all. "Party of seven?"
"Yes." Kurei stepped forward to sign for them.
"Is my dad here?" Recca looked around. "He said he'd be joining us."
"Over here, son." Shigeo poked his head out the door of the men's locker rooms.
Kurei gestured to for them all to go ahead. "Our spring is at Room 3. Go on and change. I'll catch up."
The boys piled into the locker rooms and changed into towels- appropriate attire for a good soak in the hot springs.
Domon flexed his biceps, admiring his muscles in the locker room's full length mirror.
"Careful." Tokiya warned, wrapping a resort-issue white towel around his waist. "That mirror could crack under that narcissistic gaze of yours."
"Ha ha." Domon aimed a punch at him, which he easily sidestepped. "And whoa! You've been working out, Frosty!"
"What do you mean?" Tokiya raised an eyebrow.
"You used to be as skinny as a toothpick." Recca came forward, also in a towel. "We used to make bets if you had one of those pretty-boy diseases. What do you call it? Anorexia? Bulimia?"
Tokiya fought the urge to bash their heads together. "For your information, I have always eaten a balanced diet."
"You probably do now. But back then, you looked like someone who used those slimming-tea things that they advertise on television-."
There was a resounding THWACK! As Tokiya threw a cushion he had picked up from the locker room sofa.
Recca was thrown backwards and hit a locker door. He threw the cushion to one side and lunged at the Ensui Master. "I'll get you for that, Mikagami!"
"Uh huh." Tokiya drawled, leaping to one side as Recca started chasing him around the locker room.
He dodged a kick that was aimed for his face and pulled open the door. "I'll meet you all at our assigned spring."
He closed the door, blocking a well-aimed cushion in his direction and drowning out Domon, Kaoru, and Shigeo's laughs. He grinned as well. He hadn't had this much brawlish fun with his friends since he left for college. He missed it.
He turned to look at the framed map of the hot springs hanging outside the locker room door.
'Right. So, I make a left here, and down this area to Room 3.'
He turned the corner and went right smack into-
"Fuuko?"
"Mi-Chan?"
Tokiya couldn't believe it. He could feel his arms moving against his will to pull him closer to the beautiful apparition before his eyes...
Fuuko Kirisawa in a towel...
Only in a towel...
One piece of furry cloth...
"Oww... OWWW, Tokiya! Please, let me up! You're heavy!"
That statement brought him down to earth with a painful bump.
"I'm-I'm sorry... I..." Tokiya couldn't believe he was stammering, much less pinning the wind-princess down on the floor.
He offered her a hand up, which to his relief, she accepted.
"Thanks." she gave him that smile that enchanted him all the way to the core. Forget crush. He was totally in love!
They were both still panting from the impact.
"I'd better be going." She was trying hard not to blush. "I got lost trying to find the ladies' locker rooms. This place is like a maze!"
"Yeah... I'll see you at later." Tokiya averted his eyes from her very tempting figure.
She started to walk back in the direction she had come from. A few steps shy of the next corner, she turned around and winked.
"By the way, Mi-Chan. Nice abs. You've been working out."
His brain didn't function quickly enough to form a reply. All he could do was gaze after her retreating figure as she rounded the corner at the end of the hall.
Tokiya let out a breath he realized he'd been holding. He was smiling again, and he couldn't seem to wipe it off his face.
What did wipe the grin off though, was the scene right behind him.
Recca, Domon, and Kaoru were standing outside the locker room doors with smug expressions. There was no doubt they had seen most, if not all that had happened.
And from those expressions on their faces, they weren't going to let him forget it.