Chapter Two: I think I just learned something really weird about Rise.
On the bus, as I repeat my doom and gloom act about how little free time we get, I start to think about what that Igor dude did to me. For one, I had no trouble getting dressed like I thought I would. I knew exactly how I wear my uniform and all the accessories that seem to go with it. Normally, I think I would panic when I realized there were no pockets for my phone and MP3 player, but I just put on a fashionable belt over my skirt and clipped them on, then rested my headphones around my neck like usual. Wait, back up… Did I just say "fashionable"? What the fuck is wrong with me?
Anyway, it also looks like I wear tight shorts that peak out from the skirt. I'm guessing it's so I don't flash all of Inaba while riding my bike. At least I still have my sneakers. I don't want to know if that freak gave me the ability to walk around in heels.
I guess the good thing about this, considering I am now feeling my masculinity slip through my fingers, is that the others won't think I'm acting weird. I can't believe they really believe I'm a girl. Everyone seems pretty real, but they're not, right? Ah, I don't get it! I really shouldn't think too much…
It was hard to get through all those lame lectures a second time, but we finally get to the hotel. As luck would have it, I get put with Chie, Yukiko, and Rise. I think this is the first lucky thing that has ever happened to me.
The girls are staring at the room in wonder. Kind of disgusted, but real curious at the same time. I realize I have a creepy smirk on my face a little too late. "Yosuke!" Chie glares at me, "What the Hell is with that sick look?!"
My face heats up and I try to look at anything besides Chie's death glare, "Nothing. Just never thought I'd ever end up in a room like this, that's all."
"I'm with Yosuke-chan on this one," Yukiko nods with a grin, "This certainly is different."
Chie walks around the room with a confused look on her face, "Geez, I thought Yu was just messing with us, but this sure screams 'love hotel'."
"Oh, don't worry about it! Check out this bed!" Rise crawls onto the bed, then flips herself onto her butt and bounces on it. Oh man, if I had my dick right now, Chie would kick it.
The girls watch along with me as Rise pats the bed, "It's a waterbed! Come on feel it; it's squishy!"
It's like she knew it before she sat on it. Nah, I'm just fantasizing way too much.
"Oh yeah, let me in on that action!" Chie jumps onto the bed with all the grace of a hippo.
Yukiko grabs my wrist, "Us too! I bet all four of us could fit on a bed that size!"
Wha? Did she say all four of us will fit?! Is Yukiko suggesting we all sleep together?! My mind goes blank as she pulls me onto the bed.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Rise crawl over to the buttons on the far edge of the bed, "It gets better, watch this!" Rise, unlike Teddie, presses only a single button. The bed starts to rotate. Yukiko loses her balance and falls on top of Chie. I realize too late that she still has my wrist. I fall on them both.
I'm expecting them to shove me off, but the two of them just giggle like crazy as the bed continues to turn.
Wait, I wasn't imagining it this time. Rise knows how to control the bed. Why does Rise know how to control the bed?
I shouldn't ask.
After we finally stop, I head into the bathroom. That was too much. I splash cold water on my face. I look up and see Marie in the mirror. I yelp, whirl around, and slam my back into the sink.
Marie snickers, "Keep it down, will you? The girls are going to think you're crazy or some shit."
"Right."
"You have questions, huh?" Marie crosses her arms.
"Yeah," I feel I need to know, "just how real is this?"
"Between dreams and reality," Marie groans as she tries to keep it simple for my little brain, "It's a dream, because you're different. It's real in that, even without you, some of this stuff actually happened. I'll warn you. Tomorrow evening will change up a bit. The Nose is messing with some stuff to make you think."
"So you're saying Rise really knows how a love hotel's bed works?"
Marie gives off another disgusted sound, "Yeah, so? Anyway, any conversations that you have directly with someone will probably be different, but events without you intervening stay the same. Do you get it yet?"
"I think so?"
"Good enough," Marie grumbles before disappearing.
There's a knock on the bathroom door, "Hey Yosuke-senpai, did you just discover the shower?" Rise giggles, "I heard you yelp a minute ago."
"Uh, I just slipped on the floor a bit, but I caught myself. What's weird about the shower?" I take a closer look at the shower. There's a control panel here too.
Rise opens the door then goes over to the control panel, "You can adjust the water pressure, lighting for mood, and there's music."
Yukiko comes over to the door, "Wow, Rise-chan. You seem to know a lot about this place…"
"Uh," Rise's face gets bright red. Leave it to Yukiko to ask the questions I would get murdered for asking. Rise waves her arms at Yukiko, "I-it's not what you think, Yukiko-senpai! I just had to stay at one of these when we couldn't find any vacant hotels in a place I did a shoot at once…"
"Oh," Is it just me, or does Yukiko look disappointed? "that makes sense. When you were by yourself you just tried all the buttons… I would do that too if I was here by myself."
I remember when I was with the guys and I laugh, "Yeah, I bet Ted's pulling something like that right now."
So glad I don't have to re-live that night.
My phone buzzes against my hip, so I grab it and pull it open. It's a text from my partner. I snort when I see an attached photo of Ted wrestling poor bastard Kanji on the bed in their room, flashing lights in the background and all, with the message, "I am definitely posting this on my wall. Teddie crawled onto the bed and just started mashing buttons. The bed is rotating with the two of them on it, flashing lights, cheesy music… It's like a bad porno in here right now."
I chuckle, and to my shock it sounds like a really girly giggle. I bite my lip and Yukiko grabs my arm, "Ooh, is it from the boys? Let me see!"
Before I have a chance to react, Yukiko grabs my phone. As soon as she sees the text, she launches into one of her classic giggle fits. Rise looks over Yukiko's shoulder and starts to giggle too.
Chie gets up and walks up to us, "Hey Yosuke, what's so funny?"
"Yu just proved my theory about Ted smashing random buttons on the bed," I can't help but grin. Without me involved, it's real hilarious.
"Seriously?" Chie chuckles, then goes over to Yukiko and Rise, "Hey Yuki, let me see!"
My phone buzzes a second time. The girls stop laughing and give me a questioning look. Shit what did Partner just text me? "What?"
"Senpai just mentioned Teddie wanted to send him some pictures, but you took Teddie's phone…" Rise's voice trails off as heat rises to my face.
Chie snickers, "Wait, does that mean Teddie got your goods on camera? I mean what else would it be?"
"I don't know Chie," Yukiko shrugs, "You know the littlest things set Yosuke-chan off. It might just be photos of her eating or something…"
My voice drips with venom, "I didn't check yet, but if he did, I'm seriously going to kill him."
"It is your goods!" Chie runs over to my bag and goes through it. Within seconds she has Teddie's phone in her grasp.
I run over and try to take the phone back, but Chie keeps dodging me, "Chie, why the Hell do you want to see me naked anyway?"
"I'm not gonna stare, idiot," Chie grunts as I keep trying to grab Teddie's effin' phone, "I just want to see if he was able to do it."
"Yosuke-senpai, how did Teddie manage to see you anyway?" Rise puts a finger on her chin.
Chie chuckles, "Looks like some idiot forgot to lock the bathroom door this morning…"
"Chie, we should delete those," Yukiko puts a hand on Chie's shoulder, "That's terrible, even for Teddie."
Rise giggles, "Do you think Teddie was going to send Senpai those pictures? Scandalous!"
"Geez," I can't believe that stupid bear! "Guys just give me the phone, please?"
Chie clicks her tongue, "Have a little faith, Yosuke. I'm deleting them. I know you would just die if Yu saw these."
What makes her think that? Wait a second. Normally, Partner and I hung out all the time. If you add a skirt to the equation, any other girl would see it as flirting, right? They all probably think I have a giant crush on Yu!
"You don't?" Marie pops up next to me, "Isn't that why we're here?"
Knowing the girls would think I've totally lost it, I just glare at Marie instead of answer. That might not be it. It could be something else! I bet I friend-zoned him, yeah.
"Ugh, please," Marie sounds disgusted again, "Even as a guy you got angry every time a girl touched him. Don't give me that look. Whatever."
She disappears again. Can she read my thoughts? Creepy.