Chapter 2 – Hikari Horaki, to the rescue!
"Hikari, I need a bit of your help", Asuka started in a definitely secretive whisper as she caught up with the girl first thing in the morning – and only after making sure Rei Ayanami was absent from the class.
"Help?" the Class Rep eyed her suspiciously. "What did you do, and to whom?"
"Erm… nothing yet?" the redhead seemed confused. "Oh come on!" her usual incredulity returned. "It's not that I need your help only if I do something."
"It was like this last time, with the Tsunoda boy", Hikari remarked, her tone acerbic. "What violation of school rules you need covered up this time?"
"He was trying to convince me to date him", Asuka grumbled. "Insistently."
"You could've started with saying 'no' instead of shoving him against the wall as the first response", Hikari remarked. "You're lucky there was no serious damage."
"It was not a matter of luck, I knew what I was doing", Asuka countered. "And that was just that one time!" she protested, ignoring the look that was clearly saying 'definitely more than one, and you've been here for less than two weeks' – and Hikari's ability to cram so much meaning into one glare. "I need your help in the clothing department. Well, yours or a pointer to someone who can help."
Hikari frowned. "What exactly do you have in mind?" she asked, her voice both interested and suspicious. "I've seen how you dress off-school; you're already drawing more attention than it is healthy for a human being."
"Oh, I can handle myself, thank you very much", Asuka confirmed with a smirk, completely ignoring the jab. "No, I want to make someone's day, and for that, I need to have her look wonderful", Asuka explained. "And that's not my specialty."
"Of course", Hikari let out a sigh, trying not to sound insulting. "Who is it?"
"Promise me not to tell anyone", the redhead stipulated. "And promise you won't judge!"
"I promise", Hikari nodded solemnly.
...
Asuka was well-aware of the vocal range of the Class Representative; even in those few weeks, she saw the rather diminutive girl dress down people who were a head taller than her, all that using a voice who would not be out of place in a drill sergeant.
But this day, Asuka learned that she knew nothing – and that there was a huge difference between a voice that was used as a precise tool and a voice of surprise. Hikari's "Who?!" made the window glass shake and was audible across half the school.
Asuka, who was perfectly in the front of the sound cone and far too close to the source for comfort, shook her head in shock – and then popped her eardrums a few seconds later. "You heard me", she finally managed to say. "Will you help me?"
Hikari nodded, her expression mortified as she noticed all eyes on her. "Sorry", she muttered out. "It was… unexpected."
"Well, at least I'm not predictable", Asuka smirked. "Today?"
"I'm sorry, tomorrow at the earliest", Hikari corrected. "I need to take care of my sister today."
"Fine for me", Asuka nodded. "Thanks", she smiled.
"You're welcome", Hikari replied as she went about her business trying her best to behave normally – and failing miserably.
...
Next day's afternoon
"Okay, Asuka", Hikari took a look at the plan of the shopping mall. "You wanted a Western attire…" she started to browse the shops-and-services list
"And a kimono", Asuka added off-handedly.
"You didn't say that before", Hikari turned to her and frowned.
"For me", the redhead shrugged. "I realized it would make more sense for me to appear proper, too. And I haven't worn one in ages."
"Okay… that I can do as well", Hikari agreed after a moment. "Okay, a kimono, a western, more frilly attire, and location of a few spots for having a good time with a friend, right? That's all you need?"
"Exactly that", Asuka nodded.
"Okay, the closest one is this one", she made a note in her notebook. "Let's go."
...
Asuka's head started spinning a bit from the variety of elements all around them as they entered the Gothic Madel shop. She was not sure whether the shop's name was a misspelling of "Model", making this merely pretentious, or of "Mädel" making this a rather weird mix of languages. Whatever the cause for the odd name was, the place was the right one.
"Okay, Asuka, we know what we aim for, but what is the budget?" Hikari finally raised her head from a page full of notes.
Asuka frowned at the girl. "There is no budget", she shrugged.
"Oh", Hikari's face dropped. "Then it's going to be… hard."
Asuka gave her a confused look before processing her words. "No, no, you don't get it", she finally replied. "Money is no object. I don't want to go luxurious, but don't dismiss anything based on a price from the start, okay?"
"Oh", Hikari's face expressed confusion in turn. "Are you sure?"
"Hikari, I'm being paid", the redhead reminded her friend. "It might not be a fortune, but it's not that I have many expenses, right? So, anything except the idiotic price range is under consideration."
"I… I think I can work with that", Hikari was slowly recovering. "Let's go wild, then", she smiled as she started another round between the dresses, head coverings, shoes, and all the lacings.
'No', Asuka corrected herself. 'This was a grin. She grinned. Is this still the same Hikari Stick In The Mud Horaki everybody sees?' she pondered as she tried to keep up with the whirlwind of a girl the respectable Class Representative turned into.
...
"…well, yes, we can do a quick on-site adjustment, and yes, we can hold those for you until Sunday", the clerk nodded. "But…" she seemed uncomfortable for a moment.
"But it comes with a fee, right?" Asuka realized. "Will the ten percent markup on the total be enough? Or do you have set fees?"
The young woman froze for a moment, then pulled something resembling a notepad from a drawer, made a few calculations, and presented the new total to Asuka.
"That's not even ten percent", Asuka remarked. "That would be all, do you take credit card?"
"Yes?" the clerk was still confused. Two girls who were clearly students no older than fifteen, wearing their school uniforms, walked into the shop, made a few rounds, did some calculations, had a discussion, repeated the process several times – and came to her, requesting a full set worth more than her monthly salary. Her first reflex was to question their capacity to pay for it – before she realized this purchase would fill half her target quota for the month; confusing as it was, passing on it because of her doubts would be plain stupid. Of course, there was a risk–
"Wonderful!" Asuka fished a black-and-red card out of her bag – and the clerk's fears abated. This was far better than the alternative reason for a teenager having such an amount of money. "I'll be to pick it up on Sunday. Put it under 'Soryu', please."
"Of course", the girl nodded, relief clear in her voice. "Please remember that we close at two o'clock on Sunday, and please keep in mind any adjustments take time."
"Will ten in the morning be early enough?" Asuka checked.
"Absolutely, Soryu-san!"
"Great", Asuka punched the PIN, concluding the transaction that gave the clerk a minor sense of lightheadedness. "Let's move, Hikari", she grinned at her as she collected the receipt the woman just stamped. "Bye!"
"Come visit us again!" followed her.
...
"I thought she was going to have a heart attack", Asuka giggled as they put some distance between them and the shop.
"Well, we did spend a lot there", Hikari admitted. "I'm a bit surprised you're willing to go to such length for her."
Asuka stopped, her face suddenly blank.
"Hikari", she stopped her friend with a word. "Why? Because you think I'm not like that? That I don't care?"
"I mean…" Hikari's voice was suddenly panicky. "It is something odd to do to someone whom you know for, like two weeks?" she tried to explain.
"You know me for two weeks", Asuka countered, her voice somewhat hollow.
"Yes, but we're friends, right?" Hikari retorted, her brain in high gear. Discussing something like that with someone as volatile as Asuka – and in public – was making her rapidly approach heart attack territory.
"And I want to make a friend", Asuka admitted, her voice suddenly low, her eyes dropping. "And you know I don't half-ass things, do you?"
"I don't know if it is the best way to make a friend…" Hikari raised an eyebrow. "I mean… it's all fine, but–"
"But what?" Asuka's voice suddenly returned to her usual tone, her vulnerable demeanor gone. "Too much? Am I overdoing it? You did the same to me, like two days after I entered school?"
"Well, yes… but–" Hikari tried to begin her explanation of the subtle difference between 'taking someone for a walk, to the mall, and maybe for some ice cream' versus 'dressing someone up and spending a day with them in a way more appropriate for best friends or maybe even a couple' – but Asuka's concerns seemed to be gone already.
"Come, I need your expert opinion!" she grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her towards their next stop – a shop carrying a far more traditional attire.
...
Hikari decided to raise the subject again – but not before she rendered the help she promised. After all, this particular purchase was intended for Asuka; a girl should be allowed to own pretty things, and a kimono would certainly be more appropriate than dresses Asuka sometimes wore out of school.
Of course, this was anything but simple.
"How traditional do you want to go, Asuka?" Hikari asked after several fruitless minutes spent on window shopping.
"That's actually something I wanted to ask you", the redhead retorted. "You're better with what's 'proper' – it's not something for a formal ceremony or even a formal event, I want something pretty but informal… don't know, something you'd put for a school festival? If this is a thing?" she tried to approximate. "An equivalent of a 'nice dress'?"
Hikari pondered for a moment, then gave Asuka a nod. "I can work with that. Colors?"
"Well, I do like red", Asuka chuckled. "But most I see here are red-and-white mixes, that cannot be practical. Maybe green? What do you think would fit me?"
"I'm sure we can find red without much white", Hikari countered. "Any you don't want to wear?"
"Rei's attire will be black-and-white, plus any additions we choose later, so either I need something to match or to contrast, so… I suppose we should skip black", Asuka started to ponder.
Hikari nodded to that. "Black would be improper altogether", she agreed. "Do you want a suggestion?"
"That's what I asked you for, right?" Asuka retorted.
"Right", Hikari shook her head, reminding herself that subtlety was not Asuka's strongest suit. "So, I'd go with…" she moved to a demonstrative post with pieces of cloth, took a good look, and pointed to one of the strips, "deep indigo as the exterior, and colder green", she indicated another, "as the interior. We'd give Rei something small in the former – a ribbon, perhaps an applique on the headpiece?"
Asuka pondered for a moment. "You know I wanted to make use of it this week?" she remarked, doubt in her voice. "I mean, we will ask, but what if they don't have those colors?"
"Oh, don't worry, those are autumn colors, and it is autumn already, isn't it?" Hikari smirked.
'Hikari Horaki acting smug, that's a new one', Asuka chuckled to herself. "Well, I surely can give it a try… wait, it will make me look like Unit-01!" she suddenly realized.
"Is… is that a 'no'?" Hikari blinked in confusion.
Asuka pondered for a moment. "Well, not exactly, I am still game to check how it looks, and the shades are completely different… on the other hand, it would be worth wearing if only to see how the idiot-boy would react", she giggled. "No, that's still a 'let's try'", she decided. "Let's find someone – ah. I would like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind", Asuka turned to a woman who had been following them around discreetly.
...
It was no surprise to anyone – even to Asuka after she had a moment to think – that Hikari was right. About twenty minutes later Asuka was admiring herself in a combination she never thought would fit her – a deep-indigo kimono with a darker green underside.
"Those sleeves are kind of unwieldy", Asuka complained. "I mean, they look fabulous, but I'd rather have shorter ones", she turned to Hikari; with a corner of her eye, she noticed that the clerk seemed distressed at the request. 'Oops. Let me guess, some of those cultural mines in the minefield this country is?'
"Asuka…" Hikari started carefully. "You wanted a less formal one, right?"
"Yes, and?" Asuka raised an eyebrow and turned to take a side look. Barring the length of the sleeves, it was quite comfortable.
"This is the less formal one that doesn't indicate that you're married", Hikari explained.
"Oh. Right", Asuka quickly accepted. "I'll need some help with those, though", she admitted.
"We can train later", Hikari offered. "I have a few kimonos I would not mind pulling out of the closet for some airing."
"That would be much appreciated", Asuka smiled. "Okay, so, I like it", she changed the subject. "What do you say?"
"Definitely suits you", Hikari nodded. "How long would it take to make the adjustments?" she turned to the clerk, indicating the clips holding the material at waist level.
"It would be ready in two days", the woman replied. "We can do an express one, if needed, but–"
"Two days will be fine", Asuka interrupted. "I'd like to pick it up on Friday."
"Of course", the woman nodded. "Anything else you would like to try?"
"I don't think so", Asuka shook her head. "Just tell me how exactly is this color called?" she indicated the kimono's exterior. "I'll need a match to it."
"It's futaai", the clerk replied. "I can give you a sample?"
"Yes please", Asuka nodded. "Let me unpack from this first… carefully."
...
As it seemed, in this establishment teenagers who could afford their wares were less a surprise than in the previous one. Asuka ascribed it to two simple facts: purchasing a kimono here was akin to buying a normal dress, maybe not something you do daily, but not unthinkable to be given money for by your parents – and lower prices. Thus, the payment was made, Asuka received the receipt for retrieval – and they were done.
The next step – taking the fabric sample to Gothic Madel and discussing where the minor element would fit best was quick; the clerk was certainly happy – if distressed – with seeing them again, and the matter was done within ten minutes.
The last stage – locating good spots that were not arcade games – would have taken another ten to twenty minutes – if Hikari had not made a mistake of showing Asuka a secluded, cozy restaurant just outside the mall. Asuka immediately took it in stride – and a few moments later a very uncomfortable Hikari was seated across the table from happy Asuka and was browsing a little too-expensive-for-her-comfort menu. Her discomfort was alleviated – or actually, shifted from one reason to another – when Asuka announced that it was her treat as a thank-you.
'She has a lot to learn, but she has her heart in the right place', Hikari concluded and tried to do her best to enjoy the situation.
...
"Thank you Hikari", Asuka bowed to her friend as they were taking a walk back; Hikari could not help but notice how proper the girl's language was when she actually cared. Regrettably, such moments were rare. "You were an immense help", she continued, "and I owe you a big one."
"Don't mention it", Hikari waved her hand. "It's what friends are for, right?" she smiled a genuine smile. "Now, are you sure you don't need any further help?"
"No worries", Asuka refused. "Are you sure you don't need me to walk you home?"
"No, not at all! It's still daylight", Hikari protested. "I'd rather you do your homework properly", she admitted.
"Ah", Asuka's expression turned sour. "That. Yeah, I will. See you then – and thanks again!" she grinned as she bowed again – and turned to run towards the bus stop.
Hikari let out a sigh. She was not sure where this was heading; for a moment, she pondered whether she should not actually warn Rei Ayanami what was coming – but decided this would be betraying the trust Asuka put in her.
After all, what was the worst that could happen?
