A/N:
Unbalanced Love - Printemps (Aaay)
"Aaand, I'm done!" Rin leaned back into her chair, panting heavily, and kicked off the tattoo machine.
Despite being a star football player with incredible stamina, It had taken Rin all of her focus to complete the tiny simple design.
"Well done, Rin-chan!" Nozomi walked over while applauding lightly.
Umi stuck her head out of the piercing room and smiled.
"Congratulations, Rin! That's your first official tattoo on your first official client!"
"Kayo-chin, are you okay?" Rin asked breathlessly as the girl raised her head slightly.
"Yes, Rin-chan, I'm okay,"
Nozomi peered over Hanayo, and observed the finished tattoo.
"Nicely done, Rin-chan," Nozomi complimented the bold and neat style, and then took out her phone to take a picture.
"Here, Hanayo-chan, this is what it looks like," Nozomi then showed Hanayo the picture.
The young girl's eyes widened and she gasped with a smile.
"It looks so pretty! We have to put this on your instagram profile," Hanayo smiled as Rin gently swiped any excess ink off of Hanayo's red, swollen neck.
"Good idea!" Rin whipped out her phone from her jeans pocket and opened up the camera. One click later, she pocketed her phone and reached over to grab a tube of cream.
"Kayo-chin, this cream will help ease the tattoo's healing process. I'll rub some on it now for you, then I'll do it again later tonight," Rin's tone was steady as she gently rubbed the cream onto the fresh tattoo.
"Nozomi-senpai says that new tattoos are technically open wounds, so I'm going to put some cling wrap over the top to protect it."
"I see Nozomi-san has taught you well," Hanayo smiled, making Nozomi shrug.
"I try."
"Thank you again for looking after Rin-chan, Nozomi-san," Hanayo turned her gaze to the older tattoo artist.
Nozomi's eyes crinkled with happiness, and she simply waved the polite girl's words away.
"You're more than welcome, Hanayo-chan, I could not have asked for a better apprentice."
"Kayo-chin, I don't want you to take this wrapping off until you have a bath tonight, okay?" Rin finished placing the wrap against Hanayo's neck, and started to tape it down with sticky tape.
"Again, I'll help you put a fresh wrap on at home. Oh! Also, please don't scratch it, okay? It might mess up the ink."
"Rodger that, captain,"
"Am…Am I missing anything?" Rin turned to look at Nozomi for help. Nozomi placed a hand on Rin's shoulder.
"No, you've done well,"
"Oh thank God," Rin slumped into her chair again, and everyone chuckled.
"That small tattoo really took a lot out of you, hey?" Umi left the piercing room with a client and smiled at Rin, who waved a hand.
"Staying focused is difficult! How the hell are you able to do large pieces?!"
"It takes time to get use to being still for so long, Rin-chan," Nozomi grinned.
"But it'll become second nature soon enough. By the way," Nozomi took out her own phone from her pocket.
"Can you please send me the picture you took of Hanayo-chan's tattoo? Elichi wants to see it, if that is okay with Hanayo-chan?"
"Yes, that's fine," Hanayo's voice was even quieter than usual, but Nozomi knew it was from the tattoo needle.
Everyone was tired after having a small needle penetrate all seven layers of their skin for a period of time.
Umi turned the doorknob to her flat and practically fell into her home.
Some would frown upon the twenty-five-year-old for living with her fiancé and best friend, but hey, rent was easier on her, and there was always someone to talk to if she needed.
"Umi-chan! Welcome home!" Honoka called from the kitchen downstairs. Their flat was rather strange; it was sort of like a bunker. The kitchen, living room and bathroom was the right staircase from the front door, and the three rooms were up the left staircase.
When Eli, Nico and Nozomi moved out, the trio moved in to take over. It had been a great decision: Umi and Kotori shared a room, Honoka had the second room to herself, and the third bedroom was converted into a study and miscellaneous space. Umi would often meditate in the mornings in the room, Kotori would sew during the evening, and Honoka would go online in the middle of the night.
"Evening," Umi smiled, taking off her shoes and removing her jacket. Kotori and Honoka were in the kitchen, and something smelt amazing.
"We're having ribs tonight! Mum finally sent me the recipe," Kotori smiled as Umi descended the stairs. The two were often home at around 5pm, since the day-care shut at 4pm, they'd be home and preparing dinner and doing their other duties.
Kotori put down the lettuce she was currently preparing to kiss Umi on the cheek.
"So, how was work?"
"Oh! How is Hanayo-chan's tattoo?! We haven't seen her since it's her day off and all," Honoka interrupted Kotori by whirling around, butcher knife in hand.
"Woah, Honoka!" Umi jumped back with Kotori as the knife glinted in the light.
"Sorry," Honoka place the knife on the bench sheepishly.
"Rin did a really good job, there will probably be a picture up on instagram soon enough," Umi sighed and took out her phone. Nozomi had emailed everyone the photo, anyway.
"Here," Umi turned the screen around to show her housemates.
"It's so simple and pretty!"
"I'm surprised it wasn't a rice ball," Umi muttered as Kotori zoomed in on the photo with her fingers.
"You really think Hanayo-chan would get a rice ball tattoo?"
"You have manjuu on your ankle, remember?" Honoka smirked, making Umi blush furiously.
"J-Just the kanji!"
"That's in a little pink circle"
Umi's eye twitched. Getting that tattoo was a big mistake, but Nozomi promised all of her new employees a free tattoo when they started working. Umi, in a fit of happiness and excitement, had requested kanji for 'manju' on her left ankle.
It went with the rest of her tattoos; all were kanji.
"How are your ribs, Kotori?" Umi asked her fiancé. Kotori smiled and lifted up her shirt.
"They're fine! I've been taking care of it everyday, just like Nozomi-san says," Kotori smiled, while Honoka turned the oven up in temperature.
"Umi-chan, can you set the table?"
The three of them sat at the table, eyeing the ribs as if they were cursed.
"Honoka, are you sure you followed the recipe?"
"I followed it to a T! I don't know why they're so…squidgy"
"I-I'm sure they taste fine," Kotori picked up one and bit down. Umi and Honoka stared at the day-care worker, and when Kotori smiled and gave a thumbs up, they relaxed.
"I think you just put too much sauce on, Honoka-chan."
"Oh thank goodness! We don't have to starve to death," Honoka instantly took a tonne of ribs and smacked them onto her plate.
"Thank goodness we're eating at a restaurant tomorrow night,"
"Hey!" Honoka pouted as Umi smiled apologetically.
"What's tomorrow again?"
"Valentine's Day."
"Oh…" Honoka dipped her head, and the engaged couple instantly regretted talking about the restaurant.
"W-We could cancel the reservation! We've only had it for like three months or so, I doubt they'd mind."
"No no, you guys go ahead! I just remembered that I'm going to my parent's tomorrow, anyway," Honoka smiled.
"Anyway, how is everyone at the shop, Umi-chan?"
Umi was about to put a rib in her mouth, but the question was asked.
"It's fine, you both know Rin did Hanayo's tattoo today…Oh, actually, we have a new landlord now."
"Who?"
Umi turned to face Kotori and grinned.
"Your mother."
"Wh-What?!"
"She's our new landlord."
"As usual, she never tells me anything," Kotori's hands clenched around her rib as a scowl graced her features.
Honoka looked up, her face covered in barbecue sauce.
"So, what's going to happen?"
"Nothing, we just continue our business as usual. If there's a problem, I'll let Nozomi deal with it. She's the manager, not me," Umi bit into her ribs as Kotori bit her lip.
"Something wrong, Kotori-chan?"
"D-Did we pay rent for our business, yet?"
"Yep! I did it yesterday!"
"Oh, thank goodness," Kotori sighed and leaned back against her chair.
"It's also just weird that it's so sudden," Umi mumbled, staring at her plate.
"There was no notice or anything, it just…happened…"
Umi couldn't shake the swirling pit of anxiety in her stomach about this.
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