🌸Cherry Blossom Palette🎨
🌸Chapter 46: Ambush at the Fringes!🎨
Written by EmtenDew
Edited by P. serrulata
Author's note:
ED: The girls have a little surprise for their senpai.
On a personal note, I began Season 12 of South Park this week. My editor insisted I watch the movie Heavy Metal from 1981 before watching a certain episode, so that went on the back burner for a while. But I finally watched it, and "Major Boobage" was almost as good as Randy Marsh setting the world record for biggest crap. I even reference the record in this chapter.
As for Heavy Metal, that movie was all kinds of strange! I had to hunt around a little to find it, but it turns out my second oldest brother had an old copy of it from when he was a kid. I don't think my parents ever knew about it, because they wouldn't have allowed that in the house. My parents didn't even like us watching Spongebob.
They sure wouldn't like my anime and manga collection either, but I'm 25, and they're 1,400 miles away.
Please look at the Q&A section I set up at the end of the chapter. Ask us anything, and we'll add another section in the next chapter. I would be happy if you ask questions.
Please enjoy what I wrote.
Sunday, July 14, 2018
LINE!
Naoto Hachioji's smartphone jingled.
He still didn't do much with his Line account, but he got the occasional notification.
Halting and pulling off the sidewalk, Sakura Inori and Hana Sunomiya followed suit.
They weren't the only people out on such a pleasant Sunday!
"Senpai-kun?" Sakura peered back at him, leading the pack of three.
Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he took one look at the communication and frowned.
"You okay, Senpai-kun?" The gal noted his scowl.
"Eh, it's just the same thing I saw last night," he mumbled sourly. "Gamo-chan and Yoshi have been pestering Nagatoro since Friday night, and she's not responding. Gamo-chan's not happy about it."
"Well, what'd she think was gonna happen?" Sakura reckoned. "After that?"
"She says it's worse than normal." Naoto pocketed his phone. "I haven't attempted contacting Nagatoro—even by text. I kinda just want to stay out of it."
He felt slightly guilty for not trying, but he really didn't want anything to do with it.
"I don't blame you, Senpai-kun," Sakura blew out a breath. "I haven't endeavored to get ahold of her either."
"I hope things calm down by tomorrow…" Naoto voiced.
"Don't worry about it." Sakura shrugged. "It's not your fault… but it's kinda partly mine…"
There was one thing in particular he didn't want. "I hope this crap doesn't continue all week. We have other things to focus on."
More important things! Naoto silently added.
"It'll be okay." Sakura was confident. "Sometimes, everyone just needs a couple days to cool down."
"Hmm…" Naoto subscribed.
Hana entered Naoto's space. "Do you use Line a lot, Hachioji-senpai?"
"Not really," he clarified. "I only started using it regularly when I got Nagatoro's info and she got mine. It's nice for some things, like when texting isn't enough to communicate with a group. I'm able to see what's going on with everyone."
"Hachioji-senpai, would you help me start a Line account? I'd like to see what's going on with our friends too. I know you all chat on it."
He chuckled, "I could help you start an account, but I think you'd be better off asking Sakura-san to help you."
"I suppose she could, but…" Hana didn't finish, trailing off.
"Speaking of that…" Naoto faced the gal, again retrieving his phone. "Sakura-san, I don't have you on Line. What's your info? I'll give you mine too."
Now, Hana did finish, "Sakura-senpai doesn't have a Line account."
What?! This may have been the most surprising thing he'd heard all day.
"Sakura-san, you really don't?" He was mildly flabbergasted.
"It's true." She showed neither nervousness or embarrassment.
There isn't a teenage girl I've met—besides Sunomiya—that doesn't have Line! Naoto focused in. If she doesn't have Line, then…
"Do you have any social media accounts?" he asked.
She answered, "I have a few dummy accounts—even a Line—but none of them are attached to my real name. I just lurk, but I can see what's happening with everyone and school and stuff."
It never occurred to Naoto that Sakura wouldn't have something.
She could see it in him. "You wanna know why?"
He didn't mean to gawk. "I'm sorry…"
"Don't apologize; it's okay," Sakura assured him. "I got away from it a couple of years back, but I was never all that into it anyway. It didn't help when things were rough, that's for certain."
Naoto flinched, wishing he hadn't. The bullying in middle school…
He didn't ask, but he was probably right, if not far off.
He knew how easy it was to ruin someone's image on social media; he'd seen it happen, thankfully, not to him.
Still explaining herself, Sakura snarled, "It's bad enough for me to see my name on Line or anywhere else when I'm not part of it, so you can imagine how bad it'd get if the rats had a better place to gather…"
Whoo, did she say that with some bitterness! Naoto cringed.
The blonde turned to Hana, "But don't let that scare you, Hana-chan. If you wanna start a Line, I'm sure Senpai-kun and our friends would be glad to help."
"I would, Sunomiya," Naoto promised her. "We don't have time right now, but…"
"I'll look tonight," Hana replied. "I'll see if I can start an account, and if we have some time during lunch tomorrow…"
She took on the slightest pink and a smile of the same caliber, nervously fiddling with her hands.
Every so often, Naoto would have the great privilege of seeing Hana behave like a "normal" girl, hoping to take part in "normal" things.
But he didn't care much for normal, at least not ALL the time~!
Perhaps it would be better to say that Naoto took solace in the knowledge that Hana didn't purposefully alienate others, acting off-the-wall for the sake of petty attention or infamy.
She was very much herself, but she took no efforts to obscure herself, and she WANTED to be friendly!
But that was enough mental masturbation on the subject…
"That sounds fun," he declared. "I'm sure the girls would be happy to help sort it out."
Maybe not Nagatoro… He couldn't forget that.
"Thank you, Hachioji-senpai."
"Sure."
Sakura giggled, "Senpai-kun, will you fight Gamo-chan if she wants to be Hana-chan's first Line friend instead of you~?"
"Maybe in a videogame~," he good-naturedly countered.
…
The trio was coming near to where they'd split off, but they still had a couple blocks to go.
On a different note from earlier, Hana had a question for Naoto, "Hachioji-senpai, are you going to include that sketch from the diner in your portfolio?"
Sakura was interested too. "I'd like to see that~! But only if you think it's good enough, Senpai-kun."
Talking while walking, he pondered, "Quality-wise, it isn't good enough to be a 'focus' piece, but I really did like how the shading turned out. It might be nice to include it, but I don't want to include too much.
"I want works that exemplify more than one positive characteristic. Also, no matter how well everything else is done, certain things can be a serious detriment to a given piece."
"Sana-neechan had to follow specific instructions when she built her portfolio," Hana brought up. "Do you have a certain format to follow?"
In spite of himself, Naoto laughed, scratching his ear, "Well, that depends on the school I'm applying for. Still working on that…"
"How is the portfolio anyway, besides that?" Sakura gently pried. "I know we talked about it, like, yesterday, but what are you working on next?"
"…" He gave it a moment.
The girls let him have it.
"There's quite a bit I need to do for it, particularly more human subject matter." He had no trouble sharing this; he just wanted to be clear. "There is… one thing I really need to do as far as the human subject goes."
It wasn't mind-blowing that Hana would put herself out there. "If you need a female subject, I'm glad to volunteer. Whatever it is, Hachioji-senpai, I would be happy to help."
"Me too, Senpai-kun," Sakura added. "You've done a lot for us, so if I can do anything, just ask."
A warm happiness bloomed in Naoto's chest, the young man humbled and grateful for his friends.
He said serenely, "Thank you. Really, thanks, both of you. You've both given me a whole lot too…"
Sakura d'awwed, color rising up in the face, "It's all good, Senpai-kun~."
Hana gave a thumbs-up. "What she said."
Not long ago, Naoto wouldn't have dreamed of another female subject besides Nagatoro—and the Prez and his mother, but the point is made. Now, he had a couple of them offering their time and services!
I really do have some fine kohai! There was little doubt he'd really liked working with them, the couple of times he had, and they'd given him some good material.
"I'd be honored…!" He shone. "I'm lucky, I think, and I'll definitely ask you soon. But there's one thing I need to do before anything else. There's no chance of doing it until school's out, but I have to do it."
He… struck an impressive figure, both girls might agree, especially when he waxed certitude.
Relating to their propositions being temporarily "declined", neither took any ire with it.
After all, both knew what was going on in that head of his.
It seems this is a Hayacchi type of thing~!
and
I wonder what Hachioji-senpai plans to do with Nagatoro-senpai…
Naturally, they left Naoto to his own devices on the matter.
Knowing a rare but distinguishable aplomb, the girls' senpai heaved a sigh of great contentment, "We only have a little further to go until that first shop, girls… Let's go, so you can get on with your day. I don't want to keep you."
Hana was ready and raring to go, but—
"Could we sit down a few minutes?" Sakura proposed. "I could really use a breather. I'm still breaking in these boots…"
"I was wondering, where did you get those anyway, Sakura-senpai?" Hana had been meaning to ask.
"Just this odd little store in town…" she put weight on alternate feet, modeling the cumbersome things. "They're Korean surplus, and they cost only ¥1,500~."
"You know all the places, don't you~?" Hana, eyes glimmering, was proud to be a kohai of Miss Inori. "That's nifty!"
Sakura giggled, "Not all the places. But this one's not far out of the way. Wanna swing by? See if they have a pair in your size~?"
"Hmph!" the younger girl struck an enthusiastic pose, inciting even more giggles out of Sakura.
Naoto thought this was cute and all, although, "Do you still want to sit, Sakura-san?"
"Hey, hey, don't be in such a hurry to go to splitsville~," she chastised him. "You'd think you wanted to get rid of us~."
He was together entertained and staggered at her mock-pout, barely containing a smirk.
However, he kept his self-possession. "Of course, not… Let's sit a while."
They happened to be on a "pedestrians only" stretch of road, and since there was really no place to sit, they had to settle for the curb.
It beat squatting!
Locating a spot where they wouldn't impede other foot-traffic, Naoto happened to sit down first.
Part of him was relieved! If they had found a bench, he might've dithered, waiting for the girls to sit first; it would alleviate… potential complications.
As comfortable as he was with his present kohai, he found it quite presumptuous, the idea of sitting in the middle of a bench, quietly forcing them to sit on either side of him.
Now, he didn't have to take the commanding middle on a bench fitting three people, instead taking an end, and he was convinced that Sakura and Hana wouldn't give him grief over it, though a certain girl had him gun-shy over the entire prospect.
He knew…
If Nagatoro was here, whether I sat down first on one side or in the middle, she'd call me a lech either way!
He could picture the scene and hear it as well.
Creepy Senpai~! Afraid to sit in between two girls~?!
And if that wasn't how it went, the following was just as likely:
Eww~! You think that you're hot stuff, don't you, sitting in between two girls~?!
…
He just couldn't fucking win with her! No matter what he did, it was wrong.
It was hateful.
…
No matter, Sakura and Hana did elect to sit on either side of him.
But it was on their terms!
And it wasn't like they hadn't done it in the past, so…
On his left, Hana sat down like a proper lady, keeping her skirt out of the dust and her modesty intact.
But to Naoto's mild discomfit, Sakura began wrenching off her clunky combat-boots.
Great!
They were out of the way, but they weren't quite out of sight.
He could already feel transient eyes upon their group, rubbernecking at the slob in a super-short dress, airing out the terminal portions of her legs, resting on top of her boots, heaped before her in the street.
Yeah, great…!
"Oh, that is soooo much better~!" She may as well have felt the Earth move, her rasping tenor announced to the rest of it.
Seeing her crack and joggle and writhe her pedes, Naoto knew it could be worse; it usually was the case.
At least you kept your socks on this time…
Hana didn't seem to mind in the least.
"Steamy~!" Sakura, sandwiching her sore feet together, might've lain back if there was a place to do it.
Ugh… Naoto couldn't fathom the gal sometimes. What would you do if the wrong person saw you doing this…?!
It hadn't occurred to him until that moment, but the gal must've thought—somewhere in her mind—that she was immune to these "wrong people" seeing and recognizing her when she unleased the strangeness.
If her friend Mari starting a rumor about her having a new male "friend" was so terrible, what would happen if the school got wind of the other stuff she got up to?
It perplexed Naoto!
What had been going through her head when she and Sunomiya played in the sandy puddle?
That was almost two weeks ago, and she'd really gotten cavalier since then.
And she must've lost her MIND, "cutting loose" with me on Thursday…
Someone could've easily seen her on any of the occasions she "got weird".
When she had her mask on, she watched herself, but when she dropped it, it was like she was alone in the world, no one to hold her conduct against her.
However, refreshing her extremities was a categorically "Sakura thing" for her to do, based on experience, though Naoto could've done without the passers-by continually gawking at his group.
Yeah…
Regardless… this was nice.
Naoto still had the entire afternoon and evening in front of him, and he wasn't even sure what to do with the time!
Do I really have to do ANYTHING?! The prospect of vegetating the rest of the day—in air-conditioning—was almost too much~!
His dreams of manga and games and even just a little bit of studying for the first exams was interrupted by the "≥8.5/10" slob, presently making a spectacle of herself.
"I tell ya, I'm feeling pretty good about tomorrow's tests!" Sakura made clear; her head swiveled in Naoto's direction. "I've said it before, but I can't stop saying it! I can't thank you enough, Senpai-kun~."
Whoo! His flush returned. "Uh, sure… But you're the one that worked so hard…"
For the first time in a couple days, he fell into his old habit of adjusting his glasses, in reality, his specs being on his nightstand at home.
He just couldn't help himself!
"Aw, you worked really hard, Senpai-kun~," Sakura gleamed. "You didn't have to do any of this, but you did."
Naoto insisted, beginning to fidget, "Seriously, it's alright."
"…" She wasn't getting what she wanted. "C'mon, Senpai-kun, you've really done a whole lot~…"
"…!" Glancing away, her senpai hoped to be free of the adoration.
Sakura gave another push, moving into his line-of-sight, leering and giving a wink, "Y'know, I was still in a training-bra the last time I felt this good about exams~."
"Gah…!" He recoiled, the wind knocked out of him by a metaphorical punch in the diaphragm.
Intentional "filter" breach!
Holding his heart, Naoto tried to catch his breath.
"There he is~!" Sakura sang out, amused at his reaction; leaning forward, she regarded Hana. "What about you, Hana-chan~?"
Not missing a beat, she apprised, "I never wore a training-bra, Sakura-senpai."
"…!"
"…~!"
"Pfft!" Naoto snorted, already winded; he cracked up and gave into a wheezy laugh, caught on the exhale.
Sakura, for her part, fulfilled the notion that she'd be taking a lie-down, falling to her back, cackling.
Though the gal didn't see it, Naoto did. It wasn't easy to decide whether Hana's line would've been funnier if it was intentional or if she'd just given a logical answer to Sakura's question.
No matter which way it fell, the microscopic smirk Hana displayed showed purpose.
A moment before, Naoto had been worried about Sakura making a fool of herself, but now he didn't even notice the other people around, and even if he did, he may not have cared.
The trio was alone, and two of them were having the hardest laugh they'd had in recent memory.
In the end, they weren't alone, but the reality of that didn't bother them too much, at last reaching a more restful happiness.
Still hiccupping the occasional chuckle, Naoto stared blissfully at the cement between his shoes.
This day is just…
"Ooh!" He sat bolt upright, but Sakura's pinch to the skin over his right tricep wasn't so vicious this time around.
She grinned, florid. "I really do like it when you smile, Senpai-kun~…"
Naoto made the plausible jump. "…Sorry for just sitting there like a goon…"
She could easily forgive him.
"You were sorta deflecting," she spoke to his bearing. "I just wanted you to say, 'You're welcome,' or something. Remember? We practiced this~."
"I know…" Naoto sighed. "I just… don't know how sometimes…"
"Be a little kind, Hachioji-senpai…" Hana joined them, coming into their midst. "I want to say 'thank you' too."
"…!" He startled.
Hana merely disclosed warmth. "…~"
Gulping, the tingles rising out of his chest and rushing to his scalp, prickling it, he was alleviated to push it out, "You're welcome, Sunomiya… That was pretty funny too~."
This gratified his young kohai immensely. "…~"
"Where's my adoration, Asshole-kun~?" Sakura leaned in, her ear on his shoulder.
Whoop! This time, the tingles originated where she touched him, seeming to shoot across his chest and into his left arm. "I was glad to do it, Sakura-san."
She didn't stick to this, but she said something else he was joyed to hear, "I already told Hana-chan you were cool with us doing our summer homework together~."
"Let's work hard, Hachioji-senpai," Hana chimed.
A familiar, not entirely awful sentiment made its way into his throat.
Shit, here it comes! But this time, it didn't come.
He didn't feel like crying!
He just felt good.
His two friends flanking him, he was ready to burst. I love you guys~…!
Meanwhile, Sakura muttered out of the side of her mouth, "Hana-chan, this seems like a good enough place, don't you think~?"
What? Naoto came back to Earth.
"Surely." Hana dusted herself off, resettling.
What's going…?
"You ready~?" Sakura giggled, pulling out her phone.
Hana gave the affirmative, her own phone out, "On 'three'?"
"On 'three'~!" the gal bubbled.
On three?
"One…" Hana moved closer.
Sunomiya?
"Two~…" Sakura did the same.
…Sakura-san?!
"Three~!" "Three!"
What's going on?!
"Thanks, Senpai-kun~!" "Thanks, Hachioji-senpai."
Naoto didn't see it, much less imagine it coming.
Smooch~! (2x) *Click* (2x)
…
… …
… … …
… …
…
A lively voice materialized out of the mist, "Hmm… Which do you think is better, Hana-chan~? You're the artist."
Huh?!
Another voice, calm, joined, "But I'm not a photographer."
WTF happened?!
"Your eye's still prolly better than mine."
My cheeks feel consecrated…
"…" The second girl did have a knack for a good eye. "The lighting in mine is definitely better, but yours has an interesting angle. See where the lips contact the skin?"
Lips? Skin?!
"Yeah~!" the first girl shrieked. "Eeeeek~! You're practically giving him a hickey, Hana-chan~!"
Who's Hana-chan?! All the world was a distortion…
…
…
…
Naoto had been kissed on the cheek before, but he couldn't say he'd ever had two girls "ambush" him from the fringes, getting both.
Very near their place of separating for the day, he steadfastly walked, skirted by Sakura and Hana.
Sakura was reminding him of a puckish promise made a few days prior.
"I told you I'd get you sometime, Senpai-kun, when I had the advantage of height~," she jabbered, ruddy.
Naoto's blood ran cold, not in the worst way, though his face had gone crimson. "…"
Hana bade, rosy-cheeked, "What do you mean, Sakura-senpai?"
Sunomiya doesn't need to know! Naoto howled on the inside.
Providentially, Sakura wouldn't spill, "Sorry, Hana-chan, that's some Sakura/Senpai-kun inside info~."
"I guess I'll need to make my own 'Hachioji-senpai memories'."
I'm starting to have even more trouble telling when you're joking or genuine! This senpai reeled. You're freaking me out, Sunomiya!
Sakura chortled, "You do that, Hana-chan~!"
"…" The younger girl kept moving.
"…" Naoto kept fretting.
"Senpai-kun~?" Sakura hailed, hardly able to contain herself.
He exhaled, beat, "Yes?"
"Aw, don't be like that~!" she reproached. "We already apologized for ensnaring you. I can't believe we went through with it… You think we're not a little uncomfortable after that?"
Naoto knew they were.
"What do you expect?" He wasn't angry; it was just a bit to take in.
"You open to another bet~?" was her comeback.
Did she even hear me?! Naoto clattered.
But he did think Sakura's gambling-pitches could be fun.
And he smiled, even on the edge of mortification. "What do you have in mind? And for what?"
She shimmered, "It's actually a revision of another bet: in addition to you not having to pay for any of Thursday night's yakiniku, if, if, if, if I make the average on all the exams, Hana-chan and I get to hang up one of the pictures we just took in your clubroom~!"
Geez! Naoto couldn't seem to catch a break. "Are you nuts?"
Sakura glowered, "No, I'm not, Asshole-kun. Hana-chan heard about our bet, and she wants in~."
Hana broke in, "You can choose which photo we hang up, Hachioji-senpai."
She really IS in on this?! He hadn't expected this.
On the contrary, it didn't surprise him at all that the gal seemed to have told their kohai that she'd treated him to a dinner in excess of ¥3,000 and made a game of him paying her back.
He didn't really want to know what else Hana knew.
But Naoto was in a pretty decent mood, and he knew the girls were just having fun—and he didn't like the idea of altering the bet—so he allowed, "The bet stands as is, Sakura-san, with the percentages based on how many exams you get average on. If you wanna hang a photo, I can't stop you…"
"…!" The second-year girl jolted.
"…?" The first-year girl was ruffled.
Sakura thought he must be joking. "Just like that?!
Naoto felt… daring.
Until very recently, dual-pecks on the cheeks would've bowled him right the Hell over—and he had lost touch with reality for about 15 seconds—but his regaining himself and ability to process such stunning events had beefed up.
He avowed, surer of himself than even a moment previously, "Yeah."
He said this, yes, but he didn't look forward to the inevitable grief that might befall him, the chance of other people seeing it not insignificant.
For Naoto, this wasn't any giant leap—not any longer—but for one of them—
"Oh, why did you let me talk you into that, Hana-chan…?" Sakura wailed, blushing so intensely, she'd gone magenta. "It backfired!"
Backfired?! Naoto didn't want to hear that. She was hoping I'd come apart?!
"It sounded like fun," Hana reasoned. "And you really seemed to want to do it. I told you he might 'weather the storm'."
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sunomiya! Semi-sarcasm beleaguered the young man.
"You're supposed to be the smart one!" the gal cried, not scornfully. "Don't let me put bad ideas in your head…"
"…" Hana pondered a few seconds. "I didn't think it was a bad idea. Maybe I wanted to do it too."
This got both of her senpai to freeze.
Naoto couldn't say a thing. "…!"
Sakura wasn't much better off. "Hana-chan?"
Their co-kohai clenched handfuls of her skirt. "…"
"Hana-chan?" Sakura must've heard wrong.
But they both heard her clearly.
Hana fessed up, speaking to them both, "I'm… really happy that you're my friends… and Gamou-senpai and Yoshi-senpai… even Nagatoro-senpai… I want to be friends with her…
"I was afraid that I'd be alone when I became a high school student, so I was happy to make it into Kazehaya; I knew I wouldn't be alone… I'd have Hachioji-senpai… But I didn't think I'd meet everyone else too."
Sunomiya… Naoto's mind swam.
He'd considered this, but it had never rung true.
The younger girl continued, "I was happy to see that Hachioji-senpai had made so many friends, but I think I might've been a little jealous… that I didn't have him more to myself.
"I didn't understand how you two became so close so quickly, but you did, and I'd already had so much fun with Sakura-senpai… So, when Sakura-senpai asked for help with her exams, I wanted in too. I know that was kind of selfish…"
Sakura wouldn't let this go on, becoming a bit teary, "Hana-chan, it's okay! We talked about this last weekend. There's nothing selfish about it."
Hana seemed to have forgotten. "…!"
Naoto picked up the slack, "It wouldn't have been the same without you, Sunomiya. Do you know how many times you were able to help us out?! I think this all went great. Studying's never been fun for me, but the last week or so? I looked forward to it—every time! I just said how great it's been, so please don't think you ever did anything wrong."
"Hachioji-senpai…" she murmured.
Sakura moved in putting her arms around Hana's neck, smooshing her cheek into hers. "Seriously, Hana-chan, we're friends. I love you~."
Hana was overcome, barely able to get a word around the embrace. "Sakura-senpai?"
"You're the greatest, Hana-chan~!" The blonde nuzzled her.
"…~!" The nuzzles-recipient glowed, clasping her friend's hands; swallowing hard, her eyes misted, and she returned with a snuggle of her own.
This was something that Naoto had never seen, Hana on the brink of tears, if that's indeed what was happening.
"I've got the best kohai ever~!" the older girl's voice very nearly broke, squished against the girl who may very well have been her best friend too.
"…" Maybe Naoto could stand to cry, but he wasn't given the time to wallow.
Sakura positively chastised him, "Hey, Asshole-kun, get in on this."
Her glare told him she'd expected he join, and join he did.
While he could've enveloped both girls in his noteworthy arm-span, he merely put a hand on each of their shoulders.
He could tell them, smiling from the very bottom of his heart, "Thanks, both of you…"
Hana placed the freer of her two hands on his. "…~"
Sakura did the same. "You're welcome, Senpai-kun~."
…
…
…
"This is where we get off~." Sakura had led Naoto and Hana to the girls' destination.
Another lovely time under their belts, it was conclusively time to say goodbye.
Naoto knew it was coming, but he'd come to terms; he addressed the girls, "You two have fun. I hope you find what you're looking for… but be careful. I don't think anyone would take it too well if they knew you were messing around with them."
"We're not messing around; we're serious~!" Sakura warbled.
"You know what I mean," he chuckled; he faced Hana. "Don't let her go too wild, Sunomiya."
Hana saluted, pulling a laugh out of both her senpai. "Yessir!"
Sakura buffeted the other girl. "Let's get going, Hana-chan. Daylight's a-wasting~."
This was far from true; the day had only just reached 12-bells.
"Sakura-senpai, please go ahead," Hana said. "I'll catch up in a minute."
Oof! Naoto wondered what he was in for.
"Okay." Sakura didn't make a big deal out of it—at all—and began moving; she viewed her senpai from over her shoulder." See you tomorrow, Senpai-kun~."
"Senpai-kun" was glad for that. "See ya, Sakura-san."
Conversely, now the artists were alone.
Naoto elected to just "yank off the Band-aid". "What's up, Sunomiya?"
She launched right in, "Sorry for embarrassing you today…"
This hardly bothered him. "Aw, that was… kinda nice."
And there was no way he was holding back the light blush that cast across his features.
Hana hearkened back, "I wish we hadn't hurt Nagatoro-senpai's feelings the other day. I think it was the final straw, Hachioji-senpai, when Sakura-senpai, Gamou-senpai, and Yoshi-senpai went on about my (potential) swimsuit."
"Don't feel bad about that, Sunomiya," he said, able to see Sakura enter an adjacent store, beyond Hana. "It wasn't your fault, and Nagatoro was being unreasonable anyway. I really hope she can get over all that; it bothers me that she's so upset about you hanging out with us."
At once, she shared, "If you think the fact that I'm going with all of you to the beach is what bothered her the most, you're sorely mistaken."
"…?!" His stomach flip-flopped. "Sunomiya?"
She chose to leave it as she had. "Goodbye, Hachioji-senpai, and thank you again. I'll see you tomorrow."
Likewise, he sort of had to leave it as she had; when Hana closed a subject, there wasn't much point in pursuing it at such a moment. "Uh… yeah. See ya."
She nodded, as good as a bow, and took off after Sakura.
Watching the girl disappear through the same door that the other member of their little triumvirate faded into, Naoto began his path home, electing to run a few errands.
He wasn't planning on much, but maybe he'd stop and buy some snacks for the week.
Even so, he was stuck on Hana's words.
He was stuck on them, but he that didn't mean that he adhered.
Yeah, Nagatoro's upset for plenty of no good reasons, but I doubt anything's bothering her more than Sunomiya being around…
This encompassed the notion that she was envious towards Hana's long past with him, on top of being severely outclassed in base aesthetics.
I can see why Nagatoro might be pissed off about me knowing Sunomiya for three years longer, but I don't get it, honestly…
And it would take something pretty convincing for him to buy that the farm-tanned cutie was unhappy about all the time he'd spent with Sakura—and Hana—when she'd treated him like such dirt the last time they were together.
Yeah, she didn't seem to care so much about the pleasure of my company then… or my pleasure of hers!
The previous Saturday—the shitty afternoon he'd had—was eight days in the past, but the last few days left him more hesitant than he'd been in terms of forgiveness
…
…
…
Shortly after the trio became duet and solo, Naoto had the urge to take sizable detour on his way home.
For whatever reason, he found himself drawn to the park, and what other park would it be besides the one he'd near been frequenting?
It wasn't the memory of Sakura's painful divulgences that brought him there, nor was it her "Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde" acts, sitting on the swings.
He merely had the inkling to sketch something, and it was a thing he wouldn't find anywhere else.
…Well, maybe it was a memory that brought about this inkling.
He had to admit… he got a bit of a kick seeing the gal rock around on the springy-horse, relaxing her and increasing her "pliability".
People opened up—and indeed, their filters caught less than they normally might—when trying to distract themselves or to seem big, but on a more pleasant note, this also happened when an individual was put in touch with their innocence.
And Sakura rocking on the springy-horse, speaking her mind?
That had been a decidedly innocent thing (in and of itself).
Beyond that, there was… something about the spring-riders, the cars and trucks and airplanes and animals mounted on a heavy coil, meant for a child half the size and weight of a high school student, that appealed to the heart and mind.
Sakura's favorite, the springy-horse, appealed for a dozen reasons, nearly all of which Naoto couldn't describe.
Pulling out of his bag his sketchbook, he flipped the pages, coming across his rendering of Sakura and Hana, studying with the flashcards the gal had made.
Sunomiya was right… I wish I hadn't added to this.
Rough as it was, it appealed.
Not having much time to work since, the very next piece was the sketch he'd just done at the diner, less than two hours earlier.
I like this one…!
Since he hadn't done it in a ghoulish manner—sneaking around like an old-time dentist with an ether-soaked rag, up to no good—it was markedly better than the previous, prurient illustration, but he'd still done it in a hurry.
He wanted to take his sweet-ass time with a subject!
And the springy-horse seemed like a good focus!
Sitting down on his own previous mount—the springy-truck—he took a relaxing half-hour with Sakura's.
Please look forward to the next chapter! Thanks for reading! Questions and comments are welcome!