Because the amount of effort put into the preparation of a date can often be directly proportional to said date’s results.
Huh, coulda been a Chemist, too. Although I’d probably of ended up on a black list somewhere for all the alleged explosions and fires.
Anyway…
Previous Chapter
Chapter Twelve: Slinky or Sultry?
“So, Slinky Black Dress, or Little Black Dress?” Lynda asked.
Hisao and Hideaki, sitting on the bed in Lynda and Misha’s guest room, turned to each other, raised an eyebrow, and turned back to Lynda, who was holding a black dress on a hanger in each hand. One was the same strapless one she had worn during Valentine’s Day, while the other was strapped and slightly more conservative in style. Lynda wore it when she wanted to look good at fancier places, like the one she and Misha were going on their date later that day.
The history of the strapless dress appealed to her, though, and she wanted to wear something that she’d be comfortable in, and that Misha would appreciate. What had seemed a simple conundrum had become a major decision, and, unsure what to do herself, Lynda had roped the only other two people in the house to help her decide.
Hideaki raised a hand, “I was told there’d be pizza rolls.”
“They’re behind the ice trays in the freezer,” Lynda stated, “Please focus. Lilly, Akira, and Shizune are helping Misha pick something for tonight, so I need to make sure I pick the right dress.”
“Couldn’t you call someone?” Hisao asked, “This is really not our thing.”
Lynda raised an eyebrow, “You can’t help a woman pick formal evening wear? Really?”
“It’s not that we can’t,” Hideaki replied, “It’s just awkward.”
Hisao nodded, “Yeah. I mean I get you want tonight to go well, but don’t you think you’re overreacting?”
“It’s the principle of the thing,” Lynda replied, “Shizune’ll make sure Misha looks great for me, and I wanna look great for Misha. Make sense?”
Hisao nodded, “Still not sure how much help we can be.”
Lynda shook the hangers she was holding, “Slinky Black Dress, or Little Black Dress? Formal clothes feel stuffy and I prefer something with a high slit, but I really don’t want to look like a whore tonight.”
“Does it really matter?” Hideaki asked, “It’s just gonna end up on the floor later tonight.”
Lynda glared at Hideaki, “There is a line here, you know.”
“True, but you two aren’t nearly as quiet as you think.”
“Moving on,” Lynda said, fighting the creeping flush threatening to blossom across her face, “I need something formal, but classy, but sexy, something on par with whatever Misha’s getting. I can’t afford another dress right now, so these are my options. Now, pick one so we can all go and pretend this never happened.”
Hideaki and Hisao looked to each other again, waiting for the other to make the first move. When neither one said anything for several moments, Lynda groaned and leaned against the wall in exasperation.
“Sometime today, please,” she groaned, “I do need to wash my hair after this.”
The two kept eyeing each other. Hideaki raised an eyebrow at the older man, “You are the one with a girlfriend.”
Hisao sighed. Turning to Lynda, he said, “Okay, fine. First, I don’t want anything said now held against me in the future, okay?
Lynda nodded, “You get a pass, too Hideaki.”
Hideaki adjusted his glasses and nodded, “Appreciated.”
“Second,” Hisao continued, “what do you think of each dress?”
“Well,” Lynda said, looking at the strapless number, “Slinky here has history –I wore it on Valentine’s Day-”
Hisao raised a hand to pause her, “Were you and Misha, ah, intimate, that day?”
Hideaki rolled his eyes, “Dude, really?
Valentine’s Day?”
Hisao sighed and nodded, conceding the point, “Okay, so that dress has history-”
“And the presupposition that intimacy will occur after the date,” Hideaki added, looking at the ceiling in an effort to conceal his slightly flushed face.
Hisao wasn’t even bothering. Shizune’s more aggressive nature had inoculated him against such petty emotions as shame.
“Right,” Hisao said, “Although it does go well with your hair.”
“They both do,” Hideaki added, “and Slinky goes with that whole ‘dark and troubled past bad girl’ vibe you exude.”
Hisao nodded, “Good point.”
Lynda raised an eyebrow, “I have a vibe?”
Hideaki nodded, then glanced at Hisao, “Maybe Slinky is a bad idea. It comes with certain preconceived notions.”
“It would also stand out a bit,” Hisao stated.
Lynda snorted, “Yeah, would hate to stand out when I’m an inch taller than everyone and on a date
with another woman.”
Hideaki and Hisao glanced at each other again, “…Good point.”
Lynda groaned, “C’mon, guys, this ain’t rocket science.”
“Yes, but if something goes wrong, you’re gonna blame us,” Hideaki countered, “and I have enough women pissed off at me as is thanks to that incident with the haiku.”
Lynda and Hisao raised an eyebrow at the teenager.
Hideaki blinked at them, “What?”
“You ain’t right,” Lynda remarked.
“Be that as it may,” Hideaki stated, “That is not the issue at hand.”
“Then help me pick a damn dress already!”
Hisao sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “If you’re this worked up about it, pick the strapped one. It’ll still look good, has a formal vibe, and Misha will get that. She’ll appreciate the gesture as much as your willingness to get dolled up.”
“Although if you did something with your hair….” Hideaki said, leaning to one side to get a better look at it.
“Not my shtick,” Lynda stated. Eyeing the Little Black Dress, she asked, “You really think I should go strapped?”
“How much do you wanna get gawked at?” Hisao countered.
Lynda sighed and tossed the strapless dress onto a pile of clothes in the corner, “Not that much. Thanks, I thought the history of the dress might make it a good choice, but… it’s just not right for this.”
Hideaki glanced at the dress on the pile, “It does seem more like a clubbing dress.”
Hisao nodded.
“Yeah,” Lynda stepped away from the wall, “Thanks guys, now could you please get out and never speak of this to anyone?”
The two nodded, stood up, and left the room. They barely cleared the threshold when the door was closed behind them and something banged against it several times.
Hideaki adjusted his glasses, “She didn’t strike me as the headbanging time.”
“Sometimes facepalming isn’t enough,” Hisao stated, “So, that just happened.”
Hideaki nodded, “Definitely one of the weirder things I’ve done.”
Hisao nodded, “Guess that’s Americans for you. Must be something in the water. So… wanna play Call of Duty?”
Hideaki shrugged, “Sure.”
While Lynda tried to recover from her advice seeking, Misha was having her own issues in town.
[“Do you think it’s too much?”] Misha asked, [“I don’t want Lynda to feel like I outdid her.”]
Akira made a circular motion with her finger pointed at the floor, “Do a spin.”
Partially surrounded by mirrors in a large fitting room of a small boutique, Misha carefully spun around to show off her new tailored purple qipao. On the other side of the room were Akira, Lilly, and Shizune, sitting on several old rickety stools.
Misha raised an eyebrow, [“Well?”]
Akira whistled, “Nice.”
Shizune smirked and nodded, [Very nice. You always had the figure for this type of clothing, even before you lost that weight.]
While Shizune signed what she said to Lilly, Misha asked, [“Thanks, but do you think it’s too much?”]
“Does Lynda not like being outdressed or something?” Akira asked.
“I believe it’s more that she’s worried she’ll be an inadequate date,” Lilly remarked.
Misha nodded while Lilly relayed what she had said into Shizune’s waiting palm.
[“She’s had serious partners before,”] Misha said, [“but she still gets nervous about stuff like this, and if I’m overdressed it’ll bug her the entire evening~.”]
“Ah,” Akira said, “Gotcha. Well, what’s she likely to wear to this little shindig?”
Misha scrunched up her face in thought, [“A black dress, maybe the strapless one? I’m not too sure what she brought with her.”]
“Strapless?” Lilly asked.
[“She wore it for our first Valentine’s Day together,”] Misha replied.
“You’re going to that place Uncle Jiggy likes, right?” Akira asked.
Misha nodded while Lilly told Shizune what Akira had said.
When she was done translating, Lilly said, “That dress might not be the best choice.”
Shizune nodded, [Does she have a strapped dress?]
Misha shrugged, [“I think all she wears are dresses, but yes, she has several black dresses with straps. I just don’t know if she brought one.”]
“She probably did,” Lilly said, “I’m sure she would think to bring both, at least, if she were to bring any formal wear.”
“Anyway,” Akira said, “I think what you got works fine. She’ll be too busy ogling you to think much about anything else.”
Misha grinned, [“You think so?”]
Shizune nodded, [You both look good and you know it. What’s important is that you’re willing to go to this much trouble for a regular date. The gesture means more than the clothes.]
“What she said,” Akira stated, “I think. That was a little fast for me.”
Misha grinned, [“Thanks, Shicchan, you’re right.”]
Shizune smirked and adjusted her glasses, [Naturally. And besides, no friend of mine is going to a date not looking her best, and neither is her partner! You’ll both look great.]
Misha nodded. That was the hope, at least. Reality would have to wait.
+++
Next Chapter
Sometimes I can’t tell if I’m a genius, a lunatic, or an idiot.
Although two of those are not necessarily mutually exclusive....
)