Cherry Blossom Palette: Summer by the Sea Chapter 35: Beach Episode! [Part Seven]
Sunshine Arc
Written by EmtenDew
Edited by P. serrulata
Author's note:
ED: In today's episode…
Swimsuits are donned!
Pretty girls are praised!
And for the near future…
Since Nanashi refuses to properly name most of his characters, whether sooner or later, I'm giving Nekoba and Rabi-chan "real" names for my story, given name and family name. I based the names off of their nicknames, and I think they work.
You'll see them in the next few chapters. I've been sitting on the names for a while, but I haven't NEEDED to introduce them, not until now, when I'm showing more backstory for each of them. I meant to hold off until they DID have proper canon names, but this is the line I drew, and I think I'll be found wanting.
I know I could make the story go more quickly, but I'm doing it the way I want.
The summer festival, Naoto getting his driver license, the video game convention, and more are waiting before the summer ends. A couple of the "more" things should prove very interesting.
…
You may be able to tell that I've really enjoyed the South Park video games, but here we go!
The South Park Fractured but Whole mission in the police station was pretty messed up. In the boss battle, you have to fight an H. P. Lovecraft monster and feed it white people in order to poison it. It can only eat "dark meat", so anything else is toxic and kills it.
The Plantmancer abilities ARE helpful this far into the game, let me tell you.
Also, I changed my mind about something:
I think the WORST kryptonite to have for your character would be "ninjas". They can teleport right up to you when you're just walking around and attack you before you can fart on them or run away, can call MULTIPLE fresh ninjas to join combat, and have a few nasty, draining attacks if you're not equipped to handle them.
What's more, you CAN get the ninjas to leave you alone, but it costs $5,000 to pay them off, and unless you know how to exploit the game's money system and take the time to do so, you're looking at making about $400 to $600 during the entire story. I think you HAVE TO pay the $5K at some point, if you want to completely beat the game and get all of the achievements.
Having "old people" as my kryptonite is bad, but I think it would only be the WORST weakness if you had a "sometimes a game completionist at the highest level" mindset, like my editor does. Plus, you only have one big "old people" battle, but ninjas are all over the map.
That's why PS always chooses "crab people" for his kryptonite. They're weak, you can outrun them as easily as any other enemy, like "minions", "Raisins girls", "sixth graders", and "crooked cops" (these don't even try to attack unless provoked).
It's the ninjas that can do all that sneaky teleportation stuff and can attack you by the time you're in range to put them at a disadvantage (i.e. throwing your farts at them or hitting them with firecrackers or environmental traps).
I have another day in the game to go, but otherwise, I should be done with the main story in the game fairly soon. Definitely before the next chapter.
I'd like to play more video games when I'm done with Fractured, but school has started again, and it's time to deal with that.
The first semester of my . degree was just taking a couple classes of stuff I'd already been partially exposed to, and that's how each semester ahead looks. I was shocked to learn that I wouldn't need to do a thesis or a comp. exam, so NOT taking the opportunity was crazy!
…
And speaking of school and real life stuff, it may be a couple weeks before you see the next chapter, but don't quote me on that.
That's also why this chapter took a while, that, and because I had difficulty finding the dialogue that I wanted to convey. The ending of the chapter is a bit abrupt, but I couldn't think of a better way to do what I wanted to do.
I plan on keeping off the fic sites for just a few days, so I can concentrate on my RL stuff, but I'll be back on later in the week.
I really want to get back into the swing of things with school, and PS has a big out of state agriculture expo this month to go to, but I'm hoping to release the next chapter in the last full week of January.
…
As much as I think that Oda is relying too much on angst and misery in current One Piece, I'm looking forward to seeing Egghead animated after seeing the first two episodes.
I do hope the new omake stuff won't turn out to be a complete dud. So far, it stinks like bad meat or good cheese.
When I heard they'd shuffled the series to another animation studio, I was concerned, but seeing the promotional material had me wanting to give it a chance, and I think that it'll be okay.
It's interesting stylistically, to say the least, how the story is presented now.
Animation studios doing One Piece have tried to make "creepy" scenes creepy and "scary" scenes scary, and I think the new studio will succeed where most have failed. I mean, the arc pretty much opens up with a certain place being wiped from all existence besides peoples' memories, and it was actually pretty freaky. I also think they will leave behind a few of the more annoying aspects of many shonen anime adaptations, so that will help too.
Whatever you can say about the new animation style, which will need to prove itself (especially after Wano, the best series animation in the last 15 YEARS), the new arc may have the best looking and coolest opening since the beginning of the Water 7 Saga, "Kokoro no Chizu", not that it's necessarily my FAVORITE one since the fifth opening.
But the new opening is easily in my top five. I've never seen anything quite like it.
For the first time in about three years, I want to go back and rewatch all of the openings, even the crappy ones, and maybe come up with a new list. Maybe I'll even include the extended version of the 4Kids "Pirate Rap", which came out a while ago, covering even Jinbei.
…
Ask us anything, and we'll add a Q&A section in the next chapter.
It's good to know that you keep reading, so I would be happy if you drop comments and ask questions.
Please enjoy what I wrote.
Saturday, July 28, 2018
Five of the beachgoers at present had gone off for one final bathroom break before getting into swimsuit-mode, leaving three warm bodies at basecamp.
Sakura projected her voice in the direction of the changing tent they'd set up, a few meters away, "You good in there, Hana-chan?"
"…" Hana, from the interior of the shelter, took a few seconds to respond. "I'm fine, Sakura-senpai… It's just you two out there… right?"
"Yep, it's still just me and Senpai-kun. No one else is back yet—haven't seen them. Better hurry though."
Hana returned, "Right…"
Outside, flanking Sakura, Naoto whispered, "I know Sunomiya's wearing her new swimsuit under her clothes, so… why bother with the tent…?"
Shopping with the girls should've already held the answer…
Sakura was nonetheless patient with him and replied softly, "She's just more comfortable this way. She wants to have on the beach skirt before anyone else sees her. And she doesn't wanna just walk out to have everyone here; she wants them to… trickle in gradually. Although, she'd better step on it if she wants that to happen; they shouldn't be much longer."
"I still don't get it." Naoto didn't.
"Hey, she prolly just doesn't want to take off her shirt and shorts in front of everyone either." Sakura nipped at his arm. "A girl wants to know that everything that needs to be covered up is covered up. Think a little bit, eh?"
"Ack, cut that out…" he hissed, brushing away her pinchy fingers.
"Buddy~, you need to consider the heart of a maiden. This is new for Hana-chan. Just let her do what's comfortable. She's alright."
"…"
"…"
"How much longer is Rabi-chan gonna be?" Naoto asked.
"I told you, I'm not sure." Sakura had answered the question five times from three people, having been the only one messaged (as she was the one who'd just contacted Rabi-chan). "She's getting a ride here, 'cause of the cooler she's bringing, and… I guess they ran into some traffic… or maybe that new construction?"
"You guess? She didn't specify?"
"She'll be here soon, Senpai-kun."
*zip*
Asshole-kun and Blondie turned towards the noise to find Hana emerging from the tent with her bag.
Their cutie-pie kohai wore her new bikini, orange, and beach skirt, red.
She shyly wrung her hands on her bag's handles, crimson in the cheeks. "H-how's it look?"
Well, she looked just fetching~…
"Ooh, Hana-chan, you look amazing (just like yesterday)~!" Sakura gave her view on the matter, bounding over. "It's so good~!"
Senpai hugged kohai, plenty of cheek-nuzzles to be had.
Hana blushed all the more, squished in Sakura's embrace. "…!"
Naoto elected to speak before admonishment occurred; a certain gal expected more of him than muteness, and he'd come to expect more from himself too.
"It looks good, Sunomiya…" he forced himself to say—not because he didn't mean it, but because it wasn't the easiest thing in the world to him.
"Eep…" Hana squeaked. "Really?"
"You look very nice…" Naoto couldn't make eye contact, despite his trying.
Stronger words had been managed the day before, but…
"…~" Hana wriggled, encircled by gyaru arms. "Thanks…"
"Yeah!" Naoto breathed out. 'Did it!'
Sakura let up, letting go and untying the strings of her crop-top. "Yeah, let's get to it~."
That the gal wore a lavender bikini underneath with her turquoise beach skirt was no secret, but—
'Wowza~!' Naoto could've done a backflip, the gal finally freeing herself of the "irksome" garment.
She was damn gorgeous, seen under the sunny sky~…!
"You can pick up your jaw anytime now, buddy~," Sakura simpered, her senpai seemingly on the fritz.
"…!" He checked to see if his jaw really was at his knees, and it wasn't. "…"
It wasn't the first time he'd been the butt of that sort of joke…
Sakura giggled at his nervous shuffling about, "Hey, it's cool, Senpai-kun. I'm flattered~—usually am."
"Hoo…" with a sigh, Naoto stood up straight, caring only so much about making a goof of himself in front of his two good friends.
Sakura nudged Hana. "Well, you still got Senpai-kun's seal of approval. I'm sure you'll have the rest of them too~."
She might've said the same for herself~…
"…!" Lil' Miss Sunomiya was shuffling about herself, her worried eyes scanning their surroundings. "Ooh…"
"Hana-chan, it'll be fine," Sakura assured. "These are our friends, so don't worry. You look great, and they're gonna love it~."
Hana fidgeted. "Okay…"
Naoto dearly wished to support her as well, but he was temporarily tapped. "…"
And lo and behold!
Gamo-chan and Yoshi appeared to be the first ones returning.
"Hey, look!" Gamo-chan could be heard and seen, pointing. "It's Hanacchi~!"
Yoshi tailed, "Hanacchi's big beach debut~! Let's go!"
"Hells, yeah~!" Gamo-chan concurred.
Oh, shit…!
The Amazon and Twin-tails, yet more than a stone's throw away, picked up the pace, running back to the three holding down the fort.
"Oh, joy…" Sakura said sarcastically, praying they wouldn't be too rowdy with Hana.
"…" Naoto felt his scalp prickle, a cold chill crawling all the way up to his gills. 'Oh, boy…'
*tug*
"…?" He felt his sleeve pull; he turned to see. "…!"
It was Hana, gripping his shirt, looking most unsure, her features scarlet and slightly afraid. "…!"
"…!" Naoto, far less stunned than he was that time Sakura had come wailing into his clubroom, begging him to save her from her lame stalker, felt something other than shock.
There was an urge to protect Hana…
Corny declarations of "I want to protect you" flashed in his mind's eye, and he stopped himself.
This was real…
"…!" Naoto was well aware that he might not be able to "protect" Hana—there wasn't really anything to protect her from, but he could be there for her.
If she needed that, she'd get it…
His little kohai flinched, his free hand finding its way to her bare shoulder. "…!"
Skin-on-skin contact of this sort wasn't exactly a small thing between them, even after knowing each other for four years…
It was a big enough deal to Naoto, though he made it through…
"It's okay, Sunomiya…" he breathed. "You're alright…"
He didn't go unrewarded.
"Phew…" Hana sighed, and though she didn't stop shaking, she did feel better, knowing her senpai was by her side. "Please stay with me…"
"Sure…" Naoto patted her shoulder, the little effort it took, set on doing just that.
Sakura was far warier, watching their two gal-pals closing in. "…"
Gamo-chan made it onto the scene first.
"Wow~!" she hailed Sakura. "What's with the sour expression, sunshine~?"
"Lemon-mouth!" Yoshi esteemed, immediately following.
Naoto checked out their assertion. "…?"
Yup, Sakura was looking surly…
Though, for the moment, more important to him was Hana.
By now, she was hiding behind him, just slightly.
"…" She peered at her newly-arrived senpai.
Naoto wasn't about to laugh at her, but he thought it was funny, in a way, that she was so worked up about this.
She had two more lady senpai who adored her, eager to see her, and she had plenty for others to adore too.
This one was a fortunate kohai…
"C'mon, Sunomiya…" Naoto urged.
As he encouraged her, Gamo-chan and Yoshi turned their attention away from the puckering blonde, bringing it to the both of them.
"…!" Hana clung nearer.
Gamo-chan wasn't smirking; she asked Naoto, "She okay, Paisen?"
Sakura wasn't being so forthcoming anyway, so—
"Yeah, she's just a little nervous," Naoto told Gamo-chan. "It's her first time wearing a suit like this."
Saying this didn't seem at all out of line…
The girls took it well enough, toning it down.
"Hanacchi?" Gamo-chan said gently. "You wanna show us?"
"Heek…" Hana didn't seem interested in such a thing, but it wasn't like there was any hiding from it.
Yoshi saddled up. "Please, Hanacchi? Let us see?"
Hana dithered. "…"
Naoto, for the second time that morning, kicked something out of the nest, though it was a little birdy instead of a difficult question.
Keeping his hand on Hana's shoulder, he tugged his sleeve away from her grasp, stepping to the side.
"…!" Hana was exposed, and she didn't dive for cover, though she didn't exactly stand tall and proud, beginning to twiddle her thumbs.
It didn't stop the girls from seeing her.
"Oh, wow, Hanacchi~!" Gamo-chan admired. "That looks great~!"
"Goddess body~!" Yoshi inserted. "Maximum approval~!"
A little less boisterousness would've been nice, but the affection was real…
"Really…?" Hana unwound.
Sakura finally came out again, sails expanded, clapping a hand on Hana's other shoulder. "You look awesome, Hana-chan~."
*wiggle, wiggle* Hana straightened some more. "Thanks…"
"Really, Hanacchi!" Gamo-chan exclaimed. "I'm loving how the orange and red kinda contrast… but they kinda don't."
"Goes well together!" Yoshi supplemented. "Fiery beach flower~!"
Gamo-chan observed, "Sakura, your getup's got the same sorta thing going on, the purple and blue…"
"Oh, yeah~!" Sakura warbled. "I thought it'd be nice if we were kinda matching."
"Hmm…" Yoshi considered. "Like near-rhyming…"
"Hana-chan and me, we're like sisters today~!" Sakura twirled around, showing off her getup.
Hana didn't do the same, instead clarifying, "But not twins."
At last, her body-language had relaxed, almost to the point of good posture~…
"…~!" Naoto, having removed his hand and stepped aside a few exchanges ago, looked on proudly, most relieved that the world hadn't exploded or anything dumb like that.
That had gone better than expected…
"…!" But he recognized that this was about to be tested, because Shuu and Tohru were discernable among the growing crowd on the beach, on their way back, Nekoba in their midst.
"…?!" Hana saw it too, and she zooped right back over to her club president. "Hachioji-senpai…"
"Don't worry, Sunomiya," he said.
She was trying. "…!"
Gamo-chan shouldered up to Hana. "Nervous about the boys?"
Hana watched them coming closer.
"…!" She nodded swiftly.
Gamo-chan patted her back. "Don't worry, Hanacchi! If they step outta line, we'll kick their asses~."
"And punch 'em over the horizon!" Yoshi hopped in. "Smack-a-dabba-doo! Right to the moon!"
This pulled the tiniest smile from Hana. "…You don't need to…"
Shuu and Nekoba were happily chatting about something, apparently unaware of what they were walking into, with Tohru stoically taking up the rear.
Naoto offered a hand to Hana, feeling her hover even nearer.
She squeezed it. "…!"
"Sunomiya, it's okay," he promised.
She squeezed harder. "…"
'Hmm…' Naoto hoped that she'd have already shed most of her stomach-butterflies, but she was about to be scrutinized by two young men she barely knew.
It had been hard enough, the first time with HIM, and the understanding was now there, as to her behavior…
Inevitably, three met up with five, and it wasn't long before someone noticed Hana.
Nekoba lit up. "Oh, Hanacchi~! That's so cute~!"
"…Thanks…" Hana toed the sand, having relinquished Naoto's hand, trying to open herself up.
"So, these are the bikinis you and Sakura picked out…" the cat-like girl venerated, inspecting what she saw. "I'm liking the colors~."
"…~" Hana shone, pink but pleased.
Naoto wondered what his boys were up to. "…?"
Yup…
Tohru was sitting easy as Sunday morning, but Shuu was reeling, having gotten an eyeful of Sakura.
Hearing tales of her scanty, zebra-striped bikini—from the last big group trip to the beach—had seen Shuu's imagination pulling 80-hour workweeks.
But seeing her in something more retiring that did NOTHING to hide her shape or beauty OR a vital, amatory amount of skin…?
Shuu's brain broke. "…!"
The gal gave him the mildest of guff, lacing her fingers behind her head, a spicy pose bestowed, "Oh, Shuu-kun, I'm glad you like what you see~."
"Duh…" Shuu droned, his gray matter frying like an egg.
'Go easy on him, Sakura-san…' Naoto entreated Heaven, his rolled-eyes pointed in that general direction. 'No need to play him…'
He didn't think she would, but…
It wasn't hard for a guy to simp that hard over a girl showing him a little affection, especially when he had a yen for her…
"…~" Be that as it may, Naoto was glad that Hana was standing on her own.
…
Hana was on her own, yes, but she was a little unsteady. "…"
And Sakura ended up helping the matter about as much as would pooping down a chimney.
She weaved nearer their kohai, hugging Hana's neck and draping herself over the younger girl.
"What do you boys think of this cutie~?" she purred, tempting Shuu and Tohru to give notice.
"…!" Hana jumped at the contact—and the renewed attention.
"…!" "…!" Neither boy was ready for this sort of call to action.
Naoto shuddered. 'Oh, fuckin' shit, Sakura-san… too much…!'
What the fuck was she doing…?!
Providentially, Gamo-chan sashayed over, grabbing Sakura's arms. "How 'bout I punish you now~?"
"I'll help!" Yoshi pledged, grabbing Sakura's legs. "It's time for a tickle!"
"Heek!" Sakura squealed.
Rest assured, no one would be punishing anyone—for now~, but the two girls DID haul Sakura away from Hana…
"Oh, Hanacchi…" Nekoba moved in, steadfast at Hana's shoulder. "That was kinda mean of her…"
Hana came close to smiling, seeing her best gal-pal bodily carried off. "It-it's okay… She was just playing."
Naoto was back beside Hana. "Why'd she have to go and do a thing like that…?"
"Never mind, Hachioji-senpai," she dismissed it. "I… think I'm okay now~."
And come what may, she stood her ground, Shuu and Tohru digging her beachy apparel.
Neither of Naoto's pals had been planning on judging the girl they knew as "Hana-san", but… here they were.
Tohru opened, "So, you and Sakura went shopping yesterday?"
'I wasn't there…!' Naoto hoped his name wouldn't come up.
Hana affirmed, "Yes, we did some summer shopping, and getting new suits was our last stop. We had the idea to get something similar but not alike. I thought Sakura-senpai would've looked better in the warm colors—and me in the cool colors, but I trusted her eye on the matter. I do like how it turned out~…"
Shuu had recovered from Sakura's jest, and he could truly say, "It looks really cute, Hana-san…"
"Yeah, I like it~," Tohru concurred. "You look pretty good."
Hana further and rapidly reddened but kept her wits. "Thank you… Shuu-senpai… Tohru-senpai…"
Naoto, having pleaded to Heaven, now thanked it, 'Oh, that could've gone SO much worse~!'
Actually, it had gone wonderfully…
Sakura's abductors returned to the fold.
Gamo-chan chortled, "Hey, I thought Hanacchi might beat out Sakura today~! How 'bout you, Yosh?"
"Hanacchi gets the gold medal~!" Yoshi piped.
"Well, I dunno about that—we need to see the other contenders first~, but she's yanked the rug from under Sakura."
"Hey, Sakura! You've been knocked down a peg~!" Yoshi called out to the blonde, now on the outskirts.
"Mrmbl…" Sakura grumped.
"…" Naoto—regardless of whatever was happening in Sakura's mind—wasn't sure about that. 'Nope, Sakura-san is still number-one… of what I can see… for now.'
And he'd be seeing more very soon—
Yoshi, despite the mixed company, calmly pulled off her shirt and dropped her shorts.
'Nope! Immediately!' Naoto experienced the sensation of an electric shock to his nerves, mostly down the front, from the crown of his head to his sternum, finding its way to the elbows too.
He was pleased to learn that Yoshi wasn't wearing frills; she wore a plain, pink bikini—neither liberal or conservative in its surface area.
'Noice!' he gave into English dialectal variation.
A point was made to not stare or even flinch—starting now~.
Getting a better look later was always possible, barring he go blind in the meantime…
Shuu and Tohru also discreetly surveyed Yoshi, and bearing witness was one of many reasons to be glad that they were there and not playing videogames at home.
"…!" "…!" This beat grinding to jump up a few levels big time~.
However~…!
Naoto, having moved on to—if not greener—other pastures, had faith in something.
His faith was, 'But Yoshi-san still prolly doesn't beat out—'
Nekoba, who had stepped away from the ongoing circus act, had arrived in her beach skirt, and the same as last time, it was of a longer sort (much more so than Sakura's and Hana's), reaching past her knees, though it was a paisley pattern, rich in blues and oranges and yellows and tans, as opposed to the floral one he'd seen in the past.
The PROPER term for such a garment, it had been learned, was a "sarong"~…
"…? …!" What Naoto didn't know was what she was wearing underneath. "…? …!"
And this was also remedied immediately~…
The slender girl with the slighter but Gamo-chan-esque frame and the perky B-cups peeled off her t-shirt.
"…!" Naoto's heart went into his throat.
Wow, did she look great~…!
Her top (and presumably her bottoms) were a subdued green, appearing olive.
Naoto thought she'd more than topped herself from the time before, and he'd loved the whole tropical floral thing she'd had going.
Enough was covered up, and enough was showing~…
'Perfect balance~!' He really dug the modest/flashy aspect. 'Functional too~!'
"…?" He took in his surroundings. "…?"
Nobody was paying any attention to him… OR Nekoba…
He'd chance it!
He had to get a good look at her!
She wasn't paying much attention either, so…
Naoto always felt like a piece of shit when he fell into any act of voyeurism (not that Nekoba was at any stage of indecency), but he so wanted to take in her unassuming beauty!
It wasn't like he had to move—he just had to stand there, and he absorbed the absolute vision of this young woman.
He—
"Yes, Hachioji-kun…?" The slim girl was watching him from the corner of her eye.
'$#!+!' Naoto had such a jolt go through him, he cracked his neck with the gyration produced.
An eternity seemed to pass to the senpai, averting his eyes and tweaking out on his own electricity.
The kohai wasn't as poorly off.
Nekoba pressed quietly, "You were staring~…"
'Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!' Naoto gave just about every fuck he possessed. "…!"
…
This was on the long list of things that Naoto didn't want to happen, Nekoba calling him out as some sort of scoundrel.
Terminally high on the list, NO, but on the list regardless…
Nekoba had never pulled anything like this on him, not that she was "pulling" anything.
This was better reason for (correct, in this case) accusations of the "~" variety than had often been given …
Naoto could breathe wrong, and Nagatoro would infer that he was a perverted virgin, whose gravitation towards letting out his lifeblood, leaving behind his pasty mortal husk in the bathtub for his mother to find, was an inevitability.
…
He had to remind himself that he wasn't dealing with—in order of their individual efforts, ranging from zip to zap in their ability to successfully tear him a new one—Yoshi or Sakura or Gamo-chan or Nagatoro.
This was Nekoba…
Of all of the girls in his circle, she was easily the most even-tempered.
One might count Sana and Hana—the Prez and best kohai—as the ones riding the top of that list, but…
Naoto, he knew better than that~.
And all of the girls could be a little wacky…
"Phew…" He managed to halt his freaking out. 'Nekoba will understand.'
Funny, "understanding" was rarely the issue with the girls; it was more along the lines of "we get it, but let's torture Senpai over it, because it's so easy"…
…
But this was Nekoba…!
If only Naoto could… explain—or at least apologize, then maybe…
No longer hiding it, he willingly showed his face to her, no doubt the same shade of red as his sunburned metatarsals.
Nekoba didn't deserve that, to be gawked at by some fish-eyed senpai… and NO girl "deserved" it…
"Sorry…" He sincerely was, not that he was prepared for eye contact.
"Ha-ha~…" she replied. "No, it's alright, Hachioji-kun."
That tone of voice…
It had Naoto looking directly at her, which he had by no means been doing.
Woot!
She was blushing… and heavily at that. "…~"
"I, uh…" Naoto's brain wasn't fried, but it was seared at the edges.
"…~" She glanced his way, a reserved, crooked little smile dimpling one cheek.
Naoto—his brain seared but the juices kept in—wasn't about to leak his wherewithal out of his ears.
He didn't jump, but he was ready to do so. "…?"
Auspiciously, she didn't leave him to dangle, kicking away as the noose slowly ebbed away his life.
That didn't mean it was EASY, what she had to say~…
Nekoba didn't wring at her sarong, tied at her left hip, but she gently clasped her hands below her naval, telling Naoto, "I, uh… I know you were checking me out last time too, so…"
'Checking her out?!' It was like a punch in the throat, and it staggered him. "…!"
Her blush intensified, not that Naoto noticed.
She raised her hands in defense, palms out, realizing how her words had just come out. "I-I-I guess I didn't mean 'checking me out', but I thought it sounded better than saying you were 'staring'… and I thought saying you were 'looking at me' just sounded kinda awkward."
Naoto had been sent tottering, but he wasn't tottered for long, and he found his center.
This was…
"I… Okay, I see what you mean…" He knew that she wasn't about to eviscerate him with ridicule.
They could talk this out…
Naoto had done it with girls most would view as far more formidable than Nekoba, though she had her own sort of frightfulness with which to contend.
She was her own girl, just as much as any other…
Naoto owned up, "I should've known you caught me… staring at you…"
Nekoba crossed her arms, if only to keep them still, rather than out of contempt.
"You're not the best at hiding things, Hachioji-kun," she said with a slight chuckle.
"I know…" he owned it further. "It was dumb to think you didn't notice…"
What WASN'T known…
"But it wasn't me that saw you…" She shuddered slightly, not out of disgust but nerves. "It was, uh… It wasn't me."
'Quack!' Naoto's duckish psyche was trodden upon. "Huh…?"
"It was someone else…" Nekoba admitted.
Naoto blinked twice. "So… not you…"
She shook her head. "Nope… It was one of the other girls… not that it could be anyone else."
"Of course, one of them noticed…" He felt foolish for ever thinking he was in the clear. 'I'll bet ALL OF THEM did…'
And girls DID talk…
"Sorry…" he was compelled to say it again.
Nekoba tittered, not obnoxiously, her demure, warped, miniscule grin yet pasted on, "It's fine~."
"…" He wasn't sure of that.
She shared, shoulders a-wiggle, her aspect plenty red, "It made me happy to hear you were interested last time~… if you were… Maybe I'm using the wrong term. I'd say that's different than just liking something."
'WAS I interested?!' Naoto supposed that he was, though he agreed more strongly with her desire for accuracy, preferring her own amendment; he diverted his line-of-sight, scratching at his ear, also quite red in his aspect. "I… thought you looked nice…"
Nekoba twitched at his sudden declaration, inoffensive as it was. "Gack?!"
'Wow, I actually said it…' He was sweating bullets. "Yeah… I liked it."
"…!"
"…"
And Nekoba slowly relaxed into it, her hands going right back to a clasp in front.
"Okay, so…" she gambled. "…My new suit… Do, uh… How do you like it?"
GOINK!
"…!" Somehow, being asked was worse than being "accused".
Please look forward to the next chapter! Thanks for reading!
Questions and comments are welcome!