Hey all... I am back!
And indeed, as I write this at 10:15 pm on Saturday my time, I made it...
So, to explain it, this chapter covers Saturday... At first, I wanted to do it in a kind of 4koma writing style, but I forgot how much content I had... not to mention, this chapter covered way too much serious content for it to be conducive... so here you go... The morning is told like 4komas, till later on.
Also, to add on, this does cover two storylines in different times and places, so I hope you can follow.
Enjoy...
Chihiro Part 1: Get your own damn milk!
Chihiro woke up on Saturday, all amped for her trip to the amusement park.
"I should probably call Kako and see if she's up…" she mused, picking up her smart phone.
Before she could get dialling, her doorbell rang and she opened up, revealing her somewhat attractive neighbour.
Chihiro slammed the door shut… She was not in the mood for his shit today.
Keima Part 1: Why everything should be soft copy…
Keima woke up at his desk, having fallen asleep doing work last night.
"Nii-sama…" Eri burst into his room, "Tenri-san is waiting at the Café…" Keima grunted and stretched.
"Your face looks nice today…" his sister remarked, smiling; Keima automatically became suspicious… In games, when the MC's friend said something like that, there was bound to be something drawn on his face.
One glance in the mirror proved that, once again, game logic is always right… On his face, yesterday's script was imprinted so well that it was almost readable.
Chihiro Part 2: You can dress up nicely for friends too…
Chihiro was dressed well for once, compared to her usual lazy "throw it on" attitude that she had for her university classes.
As she waited outside her university, waiting for the bus, she spotted Kako turning the corner.
Before Chihiro could even greet her, the crazy musician pulled a 180 and turned around, leaving a confused Chihiro to chase after her.
"This isn't a date, okay!" Kako clarified, after the former had grabbed her hand. Chihiro sweatdropped.
Keima Part 2: Why you don't sleep in class…
"Nii-sama, do you know where the photo albums are?" Eri asked, "I wanted to show Tenri-san a picture," Keima, who had barely entered the room with his head in his PF Zoi, slowly sat down at the table opposite them.
"Over my dead body…" Keima muttered, not looking over his game. Eri already knew of the embarrassing pictures his mother had taken, and it was completely unnecessary for Tenri to see them too.
"You may as well die now, then…" Eri laughed, opening the pictures in her phone and revealing a picture of a sleeping Keima in a puddle of drool and a weird smile on his face, clearly a side product about some dream with Yokkyun, "Chihiro-san sent me this…"
Keima tried, with some success, to stop his face from growing red at the thought of Chihiro taking candid pictures of him.
Chihiro Part 3: Cat videos make everyone weirdly happy…
Chihiro was in the bus, chuckling at the picture on her phone that she had forwarded to Eri.
"Why are you laughing, Chihiro?" Kako asked, "another cat video…"
"Not that today," Chihiro turned the phone away, but as usual, Kako missed the cue, and glanced at the picture of some guy drooling.
"He looks like he saw a cat video…" she remarked, moving back into her seat.
Keima Part 3: Magic- All day, every day…
Once Tenri and Keima had said their goodbyes to Eri, Tenri stopped outside her house.
"I-I forgot something…" she stumbled out, before running in. Keima waited patiently outside.
Tenri appeared five minutes later, carrying her magic box.
"You're expecting to be that bored…" Keima said blankly, sweatdropping.
Chihiro Part 4: Food + Fast rides = disaster…
"So where do you want to go today?" Chihiro asked. The two of them were looking at a pamphlet. Seeing that this was Kako's first time coming to DesneySea, she'd get to choose.
Kako pointed at a couple of places.
When matching them to key, Chihiro noted they were mostly restaurants, save for the one which was a jet coaster.
"Alright…" Chihiro smiled, folding up the pamphlet, "don't expect me to sit next to you on the Jet coaster, though…"
Keima Part 4: Birds of a feather?
"Say… can we make a stopover for a bit," Keima asked. The two of them were by a mall, having just drove to Narusawa.
"What is it, Keima-kun?" Keima motioned for her to wait for a few moments.
Keima returned, ten minutes later, arms laden with bags and breathing laboured, expecting Tenri to be surprised at his game shopping level.
Keima turned out to be more surprised… Tenri had two doves on her shoulders and was pulling a new one out of her sleeve. Keima just hoped that none of them pooped in his car.
Chihiro Part 5: Motion sickness is a bitch…
"I'm putting my foot down… we have to ride some of the rides…" Chihiro said firmly, trying to pull a hungry Kako away from yet another food stand.
"But I didn't have breakfast today…" Chihiro stopped… if she was here on an empty stomach, now was the perfect time to go on some of the faster rides.
Cue the two of them boarding the jet coaster, raging rapids and speeding trains…
Chihiro held Kako's hair as she puked in a bin… turns out that having an empty stomach doesn't stop nausea…
Keima Part 5: Fluffy Hell…
"Nee… Keima-kun…" Tenri's muffled voice came from behind a black screen… "you really like these games, huh?"
"Of course…" Keima replied, cocking his gun like a boss, "if it involves saving a girl, I will play it…"
"Congratulations…" the stall owner passed a large bunny over. Keima smiled and offered it to Tenri…
"Nah, I'm good…" the camera pulled back, revealing Tenri already holding three equally large stuffed toys.
Keima was definitely happier being here, compared to last time. He hadn't visited this place at all while he was living alone.
Well, he could hardly blame the place… he just had one too many memories here… Like when Diana and Haqua kidnapped him and forced him to go on the rides… That had been around the time he was looking for the Goddesses, right?
He would have killed to have the knowledge now at that time, because it would have saved him a ton of trouble and gaming time.
His companion was better this time too… Despite being a real girl, Tenri rarely expected anything from him. She actually allowed him to play that cowboy shooting game, and as he expected, he won the grand prize… Like, four times…
In the end, Tenri only kept the fluffy bear he had won on his third game, so he just gave the other three to some passing children.
"That's nice of you, Keima-kun…" Tenri said, hugging her bear.
Keima scoffed… niceness was hardly the case here… he just wanted to get rid of them.
Besides, Keima could agree that some of his actions were anything but nice.
"I have to say though… I'm surprised Diana hasn't come out yet…"
"Do you want me to call her out?" the shy childhood friend asked, closing her eyes.
"No, God no…" but before he could say anything more, Tenri's outline wavered, and her eyes opened to show a startling red that Keima hadn't seen in a long time.
Diana was there, in her winged glory. Keima's eyes flickered side to side, seeing if anyone could see anything, but no one had reacted, so he guessed not.
"Too bad…" Diana smirked, "It's been a while, Katsuragi-san…"
Keima rubbed his head awkwardly.
"Hi Diana," he said sheepishly, "am I going to die now?"
"I can hardly kill Tenri's partner on a date… so maybe later…"
Keima sighed. Of course he had this coming.
"Actually, I have something to ask you, Katsuragi-san…"
"Alright, shoot…"
"Are you actually Katsuragi-san?"
Keima's eyes narrowed.
"Obviously… I look like him, don't I?"
"You're not acting like him… Like you haven't played with your game console the entire time you were here…" Diana retorted. Keima sighed… wasn't it obvious what he was trying to do?
"At the moment, it's more important that I make a good impression, rather than play games…"
Diana smiled lightly, which creeped Keima out.
"You've grown, Katsuragi-san…"
"I hope…" he sighed, looking at his watch. It was three pm now, and despite the question hovering at the back of his mind all day, he still didn't have an answer.
It was all fine and well that he had accepted her invitation… He had enjoyed spending that time with her… just… that was it?
"Did you change your mind?" Keima looked up, to where Diana had her eyes averted too, "from your letter…"
That was the big question, huh? Too bad there wasn't an answer in sight.
"I don't know…" he mumbled honestly, "I just wanted to do something for Tenri…"
"Why?"
"I feel guilty, of course!" Keima yelled quietly, before calming himself down. It wasn't like him to get emotional, but so much had changed. He couldn't apologize if he couldn't explain what he thought.
"I took everyone too lightly," Keima spoke, "I said some callous things that I can't take back… the least I could do is make it up to everyone until they can forgive me…"
"That's all good and well, Katsuragi-san…" Diana replied coldly, "but you cannot change your feelings…"
She stepped forward, so Keima couldn't avoid looking at her.
"Tell me… do you love Tenri?"
"I don't know…"
"Then do you love that other girl… Chihiro, was it?"
"I… I don't know…"
"I don't know what your big idea is, but don't invite Tenri to anything again until you decide…"
Before Keima could say anything, Diana's outline wavered again, leaving Tenri in her place. Tenri picked up the stuffed bear of the ground, where the Goddess had dropped it. Keima was looking at the floor.
"Keima-kun…" he looked up, "I hope Diana didn't tell you anything weird."
"She didn't," he assured, smiling at her. Tenri could see that it was a forced one. Whatever her inner Goddess had said was clearly bothering him.
"Keima-kun…" she pulled out her magic trick box… "do you want to see a trick?"
Keima looked confused.
"I thought you left it in the car…" he looked at it closely, but it was the same one.
"That's the trick…" she grinned… Keima felt his mouth curl up as well.
"So… do you want to go to the 3D theatre?" Keima asked, his head nodding lightly at the building in view.
"3D?"
"Yeah… with glasses and triple layered screens… that kind of stuff…" Tenri looked up shyly.
"Sure… Keima-kun…"
And in what may have been a moment of insane courage for Tenri, she offered out her hand. Keima smiled and accepted it.
Games got 99 things right, but one thing that could never reach through was the sensation of holding a girl's hand… the warmth… the slight tickle when your fingers interweaved… the ever increasing need to wipe your hand on your pants…
Keima's neck prickled slightly… he still wasn't used to touching people.
Girls' hands… they're really small…
The truth was, Keima did have an ulterior motive to choosing the 3D theatre, which was to sort his own thoughts out…
Tenri… she always looked out for him, and treated him better than any real girl… because she'd known him for so long, she could tell when he was upset or worried.
She may have little standing as part of TOYOTA, but as an actual friend… she should be perfect for him…
But why did it feel so weird? Her hands had a completely different feeling to Chihiro's. Tenri held on very tightly, and her hands were small… and it must've been… four minutes… holding her hand, yet his own urge to pull away had not disappeared at all.
Keima disliked being touched… why was it that when Chihiro had laced her fingers through his, he felt his cheeks heat up, and his hands close on hers, completely comfortable.
"Keima-kun…" Tenri whispered, nudging him with her elbow, "she wants to give you glasses…"
Keima snapped out of his reverie and took the glasses…
No… he wouldn't think about this anymore…
What the hell was going on with his brain? It was like some weird, romance obsessed girl had crawled into his head and started putting weird thoughts in his head…
Yes… Yokkyun would calm him down…
Yes… Yokkyun, his ideal girl, filled with shy compliments and childlike energy… Maybe she wasn't the best drawn girl, but when it came to story and personality, she had it all…
On the screen, the short film started, showing scenery from a middle of a frozen lake. His eyes shut forcefully, trying to remember Yokkyun's face, while they rode a bike on the path home. It was one of his favourite scenes, just before the ending.
"Keima-kun, do you like me?" Yokkyun asked, her arms around Keima's waist as he cycled.
"I do," Keima replied, no uncertainty in his voice.
"What part of me?" she asked gently. Keima, despite the prying, had his answer. Still, it didn't stop his weirdly curved cheeks from dusting pink.
"I'm not exactly sure," he admitted, "sorry."
"You like me without knowing why…" she replied softly, hugging Keima tighter, so her warm face was pressed against his back, "somehow, that makes me happy."
They stayed in silence for a few moments, Yokkyun still hugging him tightly, and Keima trying to calm himself so Yokkyun wouldn't hear his accelerating heartbeat so close to him.
"Nee… Yokkyun…" Keima asked. The girl behind him lifted herself up slightly from his back.
"Yeah, Keima-kun?"
Keima felt his face turn redder.
"What part of me… do you like?"
"No part…" a very familiar, but not fitting voice. Keima turned around, revealing his very annoying ex-classmate, who was using his shoulder as an arm rest…
"Why are you here!?" he snapped. She was ruining his daydream.
"Dunno… this is your brain…" she shrugged. Keima glared at her.
"Fine… if you're a figment of my imagination, why did I imagine you?" he asked, turning around and continuing cycling.
"Because I'm cooler than your drawing…" Keima scoffed. No one was cooler than Yokkyun, least of all, that normal girl, "and you like me…"
"Why would I?"
"I told you before… you don't need a reason to like someone…"
Keima stayed quiet. Chihiro had said that, huh? But how true it was up for debate… In games, the girls all had something appealing about them. Some niche or something…
"Do you want a reason?" Chihiro interrupted, "how about how I shed my normal status?"
"You're still a damn normal…"
"Yes I am," she agreed with a smile, "I have a personality outside of code… I have hobbies… I have friends… experience… if I actually put effort into it, I could get any guy I like…"
Keima felt his eyes narrow… The 3D was too full itself… obviously, those kind of parameters can't be translated into games. And who did she think she was, trying to play the jealousy card!?
"Still," she said softly, "I chose you…"
Keima's eyes opened. By the screen, it was probably the climax of the movie, so Tenri was still watching.
So that was it, huh? Why he still liked Chihiro…
Keima was mad at himself. He really should have made up with those girls years ago… He'd spent so much time considering what to do that his thoughts between the 2D and the 3D had started blurring.
I guess that was his answer… while he appreciated Tenri for being his closest friend, he couldn't really love her the same way she did to him…
Chihiro had been one of those annoying presences in his life… chatting more loudly than needed in class, and making snide comments he didn't care for… but she also managed to change herself with her power… she became happier and tried harder and needlessly bothered him, but he did admire that in her.
He had that answer hovering in his head for a while, but Tenri's flag had dislodged it for a while.
He spent the last few minutes of the movie sifting through scenarios that could happen when he told Tenri, but she was a bit of an enigma to him.
A tsundere would punch him in the face… a kuudere would probably keep a strong face, but be hurt inside… a dandere probably wouldn't care too much… a yandere…
Keima cringed… thank God Tenri wasn't one of those.
In the end, Keima knew that real girls didn't fit in those molds. Trying to predict Tenri's reaction would be stupid… and probably offensive to Tenri as well.
As they exited, it was a bit too full with people, and he could tell Tenri was bothered by it. She was playing with her skirt hem, as if it was bubble wrap.
"Do you want to go to a quieter ride?" Keima asked, Tenri jumped lightly, "or maybe you want to go home?"
"N-no…" Tenri gushed, before quickly getting her control back, "Can we go on the Ferris Wheel?"
"Sure…" Keima replied.
"We have b-been here the whole day, so if you prefer, we can go home…" Keima frowned. She wanted to go on the Ferris wheel, right?
"You don't have to be so accommodating, Tenri… We can go on the Ferris wheel… who knows? We might get to see the sun set from up there…"
Tenri looked up at the sky… it was that yellowing blue that the shy was before the sun was about to set.
"Okay… then can we please get some juice before we go," Keima nodded, changing their route to detour past a vending machine. In the Ferris wheel cabin, Tenri noticed that Keima's natural inclination was so sit opposite her… Not that she minded.
Keima had changed from before, but he still appreciated his space. Even before the ride started, he was looking at the scenery. It took the girl a few moments to interrupt him, after which their cabin was high in the air.
"Nee… Keima-kun?" his eyes flitted to her face, "did you have fun today?" he nodded. Tenri breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's great…" she drifted off, looking over the rails.
The scenery at this time was no slouch… the sky was a nice orange, mostly clear save for the wispy clouds and airplane trails. The air was a little chilly as well. It was probably no surprise, considering it was early Fall now.
"Tenri, you should think a little about yourself…" Keima turned to face her, "rather, did you have fun today?"
"Of course…" the childhood friend replied, bringing her arms closer to her body, "I was with you…"
"It's weird…" Keima mused, his head on his hand, half watching the park as it moved by slowly, "it's been four years, but things feel… normal…"
Tenri felt her heart clench in something akin to annoyance. True, their friendship hadn't changed much, but the day was too short… compared to how she missed him…
For her, the last few years had been similar to the ten years before she had met Keima again. She went through her daily life, when his name would pop up… she'd wonder if he would ever come back, then go to sleep, the question unanswered. Then all of a sudden, he was back again.
"Why did you come back, Keima-kun?"
"I was going to apologize and try to get along with everyone…" he answered simply.
So… she was one of those 'everyone,' wasn't she?
Keima had accepted the invitation, but they had done very little normal couples did on dates… The only remotely couple-y thing they had done was hold hands, but even Tenri could feel the pull back, like he didn't want to.
They were only friends, weren't they?
They sat in silence for a couple of seconds before Keima realized it wasn't the comfortable silence that he was used to with her. He looked at her form, which was as close to being huddled in her seat as she could be without being in a ball. Light spots covered her uncovered arms… goosebumps.
Keima quickly removed his light jacket and passed it to her. She wordlessly put it on, but the frown on her face didn't disappear.
"Keima-kun…" Tenri muttered, "Do you want to actually go out with me again?"
Keima felt his teeth clench. This was the crux of the date, wasn't it? Was there any possible way she could put it without hurting her? He decided to play dumb, so he could find some better words in the time it brought him.
"Hmm…" he looked up questioningly, like he hadn't heard her last words.
"I'm asking if you actually like me?" she brought up her eyes so she was keeping eye contact with him. His eyes drifted off.
"I think you're amazing, Tenri… There is no girl who is as loyal or as kind or as lo-"
"So you don't?" she inferred from his wayward gaze and careful word choosing. Keima knew the game was up then.
"Not that way…" he looked at his lap guiltily… so much for choosing his words carefully.
What is up with those real girls' pace? Their flags come from nowhere and they give you no time to choose anything.
Tenri, on the other hand, had a small smile on her face. At least that was the truth. It was a bit unfair that she had him volunteer his feelings first, huh?
Around the time before, Tenri had very rarely said her feelings out loud on her own volition… Diana had told him the first time, and the other time, Keima had been so depressed that she had to cheer him up… show him he wasn't alone in searching for the Goddesses.
Maybe it had been why it was so hard for her to move on…
"Nee… Keima-kun," she scrunched her half-covered hands in her lap, "I love you…"
Keima was surprised… he already knew that she did, so it had to be the conviction she said it with. There wasn't any hesitation in her eyes, and she said it straight, despite knowing full well that he didn't feel the same way. Keima felt a whole new wave of loathing toward himself.
"I'm sorry…" he muttered, "That isn't going to change anything…"
"I know…" Tenri said, standing up, "I wasn't expecting it to…"
Keima was angry… in a game; this kind of development would have made all the difference in the world… The sun was nearing its descent, while Tenri watched it. This was the FRIGGIN' CLIMAX!
There had to be something Keima could say… something about how any guy would be lucky to have Tenri… or that real love was unfair, and she deserved better than him.
"I really am sorry, Tenri… You deserve bett-" Keima started, when he felt two hands on his cheek. When he looked up in reaction, he met Tenri's face closing the distance, her eyes closed.
Keima made a sound when her lips met his, but he didn't fight back… In fact, it felt nice… nostalgic, even.
Yes, Tenri wasn't expecting anything more… when they separated, Keima fell back on her seat, his eyes wide, with a look she could call 'stupefied'. That made her happy, somehow. This scenery… this shot… this is something she'd hold in her heart forever… The day she finally got Keima to shut up…
Far above her head, the stars were twinkling…
However, in the next cabin, a girl was sitting in her seat, teeth closed in a vice grip and face completely blank. It was fairly obvious that keeping that face was painful.
Her companion noticed after a couple of seconds, and pulled out her earpiece.
"Eh, got a toothache, Chihiro?" the other girl said nothing, which Kako took as confirmation, "I told you that you shouldn't have ordered that last parfait…"
Oh... did I say different place and times... whoops...
Alright, who here wants to kill Sir sleeps-a-lot today?
If the answer isn't you, then this chapter wasn't effective. So sorry...
And if I pissed you off enough that you did... then sorry...
So either way, I apologize.
Now, off to the review corner:
xellos540: I think I've been pretty evil with this story this week... of course, you can be the judge of this.
I do apologize to my interpretation of Keima. Both you and Shawn mentioned that, and I totally agree. When you're a girl writing a romance fanfiction with rose-tinted glasses, that does kind of happen.
That being said, I did ham on the game imagery a bit more this chapter, so let me know if it's any better.
Shawn Raven: The date... surprisingly didn't need much planning on Keima's side... whoops. I guess it was just easier for Keima to just follow the flow of it all.
Indeed, I am... Technically, I'm Pakistani, but I was born and bred in South Africa, but we did break of from India, and I'm not one to be a stickler to terminology. It's up to you if you consider me Indian.
Guest: Damn, you called it... Of course, you'll only get to see Chihiro's reaction properly next chapter. Talk about muddying the waters... having the two of them being in the same place.
x-MidnightReader-x: I guess that answers your question... The fact that you pointed how the date was going to end actually amused me, because that is where all the wham is... Tenri seemed to have found some kind of closure, Keima seems to have found out the power of real girls... Chihiro... just friggin' found out.
I do like Tenri's braids, but it's one of those things that may be a bit immature for an adult, so I figured a single braid would work as well.
Also, I got 2 new story follows today. Yay!
Thank you guys so much for the support. Of course, I'll give it my best with this story... next week though.
I have a lab report and some assignments due this week, as well as having to study for my exams, so updating is going to be slower.
In any case, I will see ya'll next time... also, if anyone has some ideas about a cover drawing, give me a shout in a review.
Ja ne!