Yukarin wrote: ↑Thu Mar 21, 2024 5:43 amRecently went on a nostalgia trip and reread a lot of the fics here I was reading a long time ago and was pleasantly surprised this story's still going!
I keep forgetting how diabetes-inducing Rika is on this story, remembered why this was one of the stories I really liked to read here.
Looking forward for more chapters in the future!
Rika's a sweetheart and I'll hear no arguments otherwise!
“Just be careful.” Hisao fusses as I grab hold of the ladder at the edge of the pool and gingerly lower myself into the heated water below. I can’t hide my annoyed look back up at him causing him to look away guiltily. Glad to know he knows he’s smothering me again.
I get it; I really do. I’d be the same to an extent but it’s been a week since I came back to school and he’s been more of a worry wart than usual. I didn’t even plan to come to the pool yet but I needed to relax and this is my favourite way to do that.
As soon as my waist sinks into the warm water, I can’t wait any longer and gladly fall backwards with a splash, disappearing under the water. The pressure of ten thousand gallons, give-or-take, of perfectly warm water engulfs my entire body. I’ve missed this so much. My body sinks from the momentum but as my body relaxes, I can let physics to do the rest. My body breaches the surface again and I squirt a spout of water from my mouth for effect.
I look over to Hisao with a beaming grin and I can see him physically unclench. Finally! That’s more like it!
“You gonna join us, senpai?” I shift my weight to stand in the chest-high water as Saki idly circles me with a grin. It’s so weird to see her in school blues rather than her usual swimsuit. I brush my loose, wet hair back and give him my most alluring look.
“I don’t want to leave Taro on the sidelines all alone!” Hisao says, circling the pool and taking a seat on the edge next to Saki’s newly announced boyfriend - who doesn’t own any swimming gear apparently. I guess only having one arm would be a hindrance to swimming but I applaud him showing up for Saki; something he’s been making a habit of, apparently.
“Don’t worry about me, sir. It’d be a shame to see one of Akio’s best pranks go to waste.” Taro jokes and Hisao nods in mild agreement before shaking his head. While Hisao is dressed in his usual t-shirt and ludicrous swim shorts, Taro opted for a baggy pair of knee-length cargo shorts so he could dip his toes into the pool.
“Does he always wear a t-shirt?” Saki asks quietly, strafing around me a second time.
“Yeah…” I sigh. I would have thought he’d be over his body issues after all our topless time together but I guess he doesn’t want to share that with an audience. I lean back again and allow my body to float as Saki’s drift makes slowly rotate. “The water feels great.”
“First time since your operation, right?”
“Yup. Needed a nice soothing float, hoped it would be just as good and it is…” I sigh contentedly, closing my eyes and just allowing myself to be for a little bit. It’s not as peaceful as it used to be but I kind of enjoy having Hisao and our friends here too.
“Sounds good to me. That stuff with my Mom was… rough.” Saki says and her light swimming stops. I peek to see that she’s adopted a similar floating position to me but keeping some momentum with her arms.
“I have to admit; that does look relaxing.” Taro comments. “Wish I could join you.”
“I haven’t quite gotten the hang of it. I can’t give up control of my body like that.” Hisao admits and I remember how tough it was to get him to float, even for a few seconds.
“I guess it’d be kinda hard not to fight against the water.” Taro offers in consolation.
“We’re made of, like, sixty-percent water. It doesn’t have to be a fight.” Saki says, somewhere near my feet. “Just go with the flow.”
“As the great Bruce Lee once said: ‘Be like water, my friend’.” Taro says with a sagely nod.
“See? Taro gets it.” I laugh at the couple’s interplay and look over at Hisao with a smile, raising my eyebrows expectantly. C’mon, Senpai…
“Yeah, I guess I could do with a dip too.” He smirks and pushes himself off the edge of the pool and into the waiting water. He slips-in quietly and allows himself to fully submerge before popping up beside me. “Hey.”
“Hey, you.” I smirk up at the dripping Hisao as I slip my arms around his waist and twist my body to face him. I give him a quick peck on the lips then slink back into the water, holding his hands.
“You feeling okay?” He asks quietly and it immediately annoys me. Could he just relax for five minutes? Could he just let me enjoy this? I sigh and let go of his hands.
“I’m fine, Hisao.” I state, drifting away, unable to hide my disappointment. The realisation of having fucked-up is immediate and he glides forward to reach for my hands again.
“Sorry, sorry, I know… I’m trying, alright?” He whispers as we move gently away from prying ears. “I don’t want to be this annoying, overbearing pain-in-the-ass so tell me what I can do to not be that and I’ll do it.”
I don’t want to be the girlfriend who’s constantly annoyed at her caring, if overbearing, boyfriend either, y’know… I just don’t want to be handled with kid-gloves. I want us to have fun like we used to! I bring his hands closer to me as we tread water quietly.
“Touch me.” I say softly as I lead his hands to my chest. His eyes go wide with shock while my hands slide up his arms to keep them where I want them. His head snaps back toward Taro and Saki but I pull his focus back to me. “They’re not going to notice if you play it cool. C’moooon, senpai, just go with the flow.”
After a few seconds of obvious internal debate, he presses his palms against my swimsuit. Now this is more like it. I breathe out shakily as goosebumps erupt all over my arms and thighs. I reward Hisao with a lustful look and a deep kiss. He seems to approve as he matches my energy and presses harder against me. And speaking of hard…
I stroke the noticeable reaction to my actions and my heart thumps wildly with desire and anxiety. It’s an exciting, intoxicating mix of emotions and something I’ve desperately wanted since I got out of the hospital. Its one thing to be supportive but a girl likes to feel wanted too… And I definitely want Hisao to know how much I want him.
I trace my fingers along him before breaking our kiss. He looks flustered but happier. At the very least, he’s not opening his mouth to ask silly questions. Not that I’m going to give him much of a chance to. I smile wickedly before sticking my tongue out.
“Thanks, senpai. I needed that!” I wink and kick off the side wall of the pool, launching into a swim away from him, leaving the dumbfounded Hisao in my wake. Mission accomplished.
“Wai-wha-hey! G-get back here, Rika!” He calls out behind me and I hear frantic splashing as he gives chase.
“-so I’m gonna talk with her again at the weekend. Hopefully our last conversation gave her something to think about and she’s not going to be such a bitch about it.” Saki bemoans her current parental woes. “It’s like playing chess against the person who taught you how to play…”
“I get where you’re coming from but I can’t imagine being so antagonistic with my Mom.” I comment as I pat my hair with a towel.
“You’re lucky to have so many people care about you, Rika.” Saki looks over to me, her face a little sad and wistful. “Don’t take that for granted.”
“Hey. You know I care about you, right?” I say, almost reflexively. We might not have the best history but I like this Saki at the very least.
“Really?” She blushes, hiding her face as she ruffles her hair dry with her own towel and enters her stall. “And I… I better say thanks, I guess.”
“I wouldn’t be in a rush to thank me. I think I’ve caused more trouble for you than I thought I would.” I reply, entering the stall with my all school stuff in it.
“Heh, I was always going to get into trouble. But this is a different flavour of trouble than I’d get into on my own. A sweeter taste of trouble.”
“Oooh, I like that! That’d be a good album title. Or a book. It deserves to be written on something anyways.”
“Maybe that’s my next thing; writing. I’ve already done art and music; why not go for the hat-trick?”
“I’m sure you’ll figure out what you want to do eventually. It’s something I need to do as well.”
“Still not sure what you want to do with your extra life?” Saki asks, before asking herself a follow-up quietly. “Am I using that right?”
I chuckle at her attempt to use video game parlance with me while thinking about the question itself. I told Hisao that I wanted to work towards a future now but I still have no idea what that means.
“I don’t…” I confess, huffing as I stuff my towel into my bag. I exit the stall, fully-dressed, and wait for Saki to join me. “But I’ve got plans in the short-term.”
The door to Saki’s stall opens and she steps out, leaning against the wooden frame with a scheming look.
“And those plans would include a certain Hisao Nakai, I presume?”
“Yeeeeeaaaah. I wanted to ask you a favour, actually… You’ve got a sense of style.” I say. Saki looks down at her drab grey hoodie and then back at me with a doubtful eyebrow.
“N-no, like you know wh-what’s fashionable!” I splutter and, again, Saki looks down but can’t help but let out a giggle this time.
“Sure, Rika, what do you need?”
“A fancy dress…?”
“What kind of fancy are we talking here? Gala, opera, ballroom?”
“An adult date fancy?” I blush and look away but Saki’s piercing gaze and probing questions don’t care for my embarrassment.
“How adult?” I can hear the smile on her face before I look with the most clueless, unsure look I think I’ve given to anyone.
“…Hoping to end the night having it taken off me kind of adult?” I say, feeling my entire body warm up as her grin widens and there’s a twinkle in her bespectacled eyes.
“Well, hot damn! That is adult!”
“Y-y-you don’t have to help if its weird b-b-but I want it to be special and I don’t have any fancy clothes for a fancy dinner date an-” My rambling is cut off with a solitary finger on my lips. My eyes follow the line from the finger, up the arm, to the confident face of Saki.
“Shhh. Say no more. Come to my room later and I’ll see what I have.”
“There’s twenty white hexagons and twelve black pentagons.” Hisao answers confidently, not even looking up from his own work while Fuuka and I argue back-and-forth over the problem. We both look across the table at him while Jiro looks at him, a little impressed. Hisao finally notices our stunned silence and looks up.
“What?”
“How…” Fuuka looks utterly baffled by the speed of his answer.
“I played a lot of soccer before I came here and Takumi tried to distract me one time after I twisted my ankle on the field and had to sit out. He asked me how many of each there was on the ball and I had to answer only using math. Took my mind off the pain but gave me a headache trying to work it out based on size and the shapes.” Hisao explains, articulating the roundness of the ball with his hands.
“You couldn’t just count the shapes?” Jiro asks with a bemused smirk, Hisao shaking his head in response.
“I should have, really.” He snorts with amusement. “I’d have gotten it right.”
“So now you just know that? It’s stuck in your brain forever.” Fuuka laughs and Hisao nods, a bit embarrassed by Fuuka’s needling.
“Hey, it turned out to be useful info!” Jiro defends, pointing his pencil at Fuuka. “You’d never have gotten the answer without him.”
“I’d have figured it out!” Fuuka protests but I can tell by the ‘oh really?’ look Jiro is giving her that he has her number. Not that I’d be any closer…
We continue our study session and in-between idle chit-chat and questions about problems, Fuuka and I manage to get our math assignment done while Hisao helps Jiro with a science assignment they both had.
Hisao and I tease each other with glances, knowing how I left him at the swimming pool. He whispered he’d get me back but we haven’t really had a private moment since. It’s like that anxiety you get before your birthday or Christmas. The potential of excitement.
“Hey. I see what you two are doing. Do you want us to disappear?” Fuuka mutters out of the side of her mouth to me but miming pointing at a problem on the page.
“Sorry, I kinda teased him in the pool but I guess it got me too.” I giggle and Fuuka follows, earning us both looks from our boyfriends.
“I think they’re plotting against us, man.” Jiro leans over to whisper conspiratorially with Hisao but still be loud enough for us to hear.
“Oh, definitely.” Hisao feigns fear. “Should we get out of here while we still can?”
“No.” Jiro stands with an air of authority, clenching his fist dramatically. “I shall lead them away so that one of us may live!” He hops over the table with an uncanny agility. I guess I shouldn’t underestimate a track team member, even one with a prosthetic leg. Fuuka doesn’t miss a beat as she shifts into her chair to give chase to the now slowly-moving Jiro.
“I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little butt too!” She cackles like a witch and rolls toward the door as Jiro just leaves my sight. Hisao and I are in hysterics but between my tears I see Fuuka wink at me as she slides the door closed. Thank you, Fuuka. I turn my attention toward Hisao and slip onto the floor.
“Shame your friend left you all alone…” I stalk on my hands and knees around the table toward Hisao, who goes from laughing to fake-cowering pretty quickly.
“With a hungry-looking predator at that! Whatever shall I do?” His sarcastic barbs do little to dissuade me from padding toward him and taking hold of his shoulders as I crawl onto his lap, mounting him. “Oh no. I am caught.”
“If you’re not going to play in the spirit of the game; why play at all?” I pout as I lean back and press my lower half against him.
“Because I still want the prize for winning.” He smirks, nuzzling my neck as his hands find my hips.
“And what prize would that be, Hisao?” I tilt my head and sigh happily.
“You tell me.”
I don’t even get the chance to answer as his tongue touches my neck and draws a line up it to my ear. The shriek of joy that came out of my throat surprises us both. I didn’t know I was capable of such a high pitch. The shiver that ping-pongs through my body like chain lightning is another thing all together and I have to press my mouth into his shoulder as aftershocks make my body quake to suppress my moans.
“Did you just…?” Hisao asks, his voice more wary than it ought to be. You didn’t do anything wrong this time, Hisao. You did very good. I nod rapidly as my body ignites with heat from my core, my skin pinkening all at once. He sighs, a little chuckle on his breath, as his arms wrap tight around me and his head rests against my shoulder.
I don’t have the words for what just happened. I know it’s been a while since I… It had to be because of earlier, right? That teasing and Hisao hitting my weak spot for massive damage. Oooh, I’d take revenge on him if I only knew what his was…
“Are you okay?”
All at once, my body and brain flushed with endorphins and serotonin, I press my whole weight against Hisao; forcing him onto his back with me on top, straddling him. His look of surprise is almost enough for me to crack a smile but I’m pissed, and horny, and I want him to stop fucking asking that!
I groan, pinning his arms against the floor and pressing my nose against his. “I am more than okay, Hisao…”
“R-Rika?” His eyes are wide, he’s frightened, and maybe a small part of me likes that but I relent, sitting upright but keeping my hands firmly planted on his stomach so he doesn’t get up.
“I am sooooo tired of asking you to stop that shit, Hisao.” I’d rather show you just how okay I am.
“S-sorry… I didn’t actually mean it like that this time.” His guilty hangdog expression kills me as he explains. “I just wanted to know if you were okay… Going further?”
“As in…?”
“Yeah…”
“O-oh!” My tense body relaxes a little as I blush. A growing pressure from his lower half to mine is encouraging but this isn’t really how I wanted it to happen… “I, um, I was thinking the same…”
“Okay.” Hisao smiles up at me and shifts his weight but I press my weight down on him again.
“Not now. I…” I blush even harder and my hands hide my face just as quickly. Crapbaskets, I swore I was going to be more suave about this. “I want to have a proper date. Dinner, dancing, and then…”
“Oh! Yeah, I guess that makes sense. I forget how girly you are sometimes.”
“I’m plenty girly!” I fume impotently as Hisao looks down his body at our current positions.
“You pinned me down and growled at me.”
“I d-didn’t growl!”
“You’re so cute when you’re flustered.”
“St-stop changing the subject!”
From almost actual-fighting to play-fighting, I really am feeling woozy as Hisao chuckles. Bouncing between states like a pinball is giving me emotional whiplash. I lean forward and nestle into his chest as his arms wrap around me.
“So are you going to ask me out on a date then?” Hisao asks quietly.
“I think you should be asking me that.” I counter.
“This was your idea.”
“You’re the guy in this relationship. It’s kinda your job.”
“Again, you pinned me down and growled at me.”
“Are you still griping about that?”
“It happened literally thirty seconds ago!”
I groan and push myself up off his chest to straddle him once more, not even trying to hide my smile and allowing Hisao to get into a seated position.
“Hisao, would you like to go on a date with me this weekend?”
“I would love to, Rika.” We kiss to seal the deal and then embrace. Great! Now I just have to figure out how to organise an adult date…
I don’t think I’ve ever felt this anxious about anything. Never about my operations but I guess this isn’t like those at all in that I have no idea how to do this. Being a sick girl on the verge of death is easy when you’ve done it all your life but going on a real date with the guy I love in the hopes of ending the night…
“Just make sure to keep it under four-thousand, okay?” Mom’s reminder breaks me out of my daydreaming as she hands me a generous wad of bills. “The table’s booked under your name for tomorrow at 6pm sharp.”
“I will, I promise. Thanks again, Mom. I was really scared of screwing this up and saying the wrong thing and ordering something too expensive.” I ramble, not quite making eye contact. I never thought calling her for advice would mean she came all the way here to give me money and a pep-talk. She has to know what I have planned and wants to mess with me.
I’m sure of it.
“It can be daunting, especially for someone your age. I remember getting so anxious about calling places to book in case they heard how young I sounded. I wanted to be taken so seriously.” She laughs, hugging me tight. “But being young is about making mistakes and taking leaps of faith. You know that nothing is guaranteed so I expect you to show some initiative next time. I won’t always be there to plan your dates for you.”
The little smirk on her face is almost condescending but I know she means it as a challenge that I can rise to. Thanks to the assists from Fuuka and Saki, I don’t think I have anything else to worry about. Hair, clothes, money, restaurant, all taken care of. I’ve searched cosy places to go dancing online too so I have a good idea on where to go afterwards…
“Well, not too many mistakes, I hope.”
I pace back and forth in front of Ichigo nervously, checking my phone every couple of seconds as if I wouldn’t have heard the ringer go off… Ugh, I knew we should come together but I wanted to be dramatic, give the evening some flair! So stupid… I just hope Hisao remembers the way…
“I think you look how I feel…” Hisao’s voice suddenly surprises me from behind. How did he sneak up on me like that? My heart races as I take in the handsome boy in front of me. Smartly dressed in brown slacks, a tasteful black button-up shirt and a suede blazer.
“Wow.” We say in unison, a beat of silence, and then we both laugh.
“You look amazing! I feel like I should have put in more effort…” Hisao scratches his cheek as his eyes scan me up and down. “You’re beautiful, Rika.”
“Y-you look pretty dashing yourself, Hisao.” I blush, rubbing my left arm and swaying gently from side-to-side.
“Soooo… What’s the plan after dinner?” He crooks his arm and offers to me. I entwine my arms with his and turn with him toward the entrance of the restaurant.
“Spoilers, senpai!”
Accept Side Quest? Bonus Level: Counter Breaker
Previous Level <---> Next Level
Given the last chapters signs I'm worried that Rima's heart will act up in the adult date. Hope not.
Otherwise, this is very fluff, thank you! Just what I've needed to end the day in the good mood ta-da
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Fleeting Heartbeat Studios: site, Discord.
My own legacy.
That's a sucker's bet.
The atmosphere inside Ichigo is bustling but I expected that for a Saturday evening but I didn’t expect that the Maître d' to treat us so well. We don’t exactly look like high-schoolers at the moment but still; I expected him to be a little snootier. Saki and Akio did a great job dressing the two of us up for the evening. Neither of us is particularly fashionable.
“So now I’m looking at which specific teacher-training courses are offered by universities near Meguro. I mean, obviously I want to go to Tokyo U but it’s just one of the options.” Hisao explains, in between bites of his beef brisket pappardelle. It looks pretty tasty but the pollo Della casa I ordered is gorgeous.
“I’m sure you’ll find a way, Mr Nakai! I’ll be cheering you on!” I grin before shovelling a forkful of food into my mouth.
“Thanks, Rika.” He responds with a smile then becomes a little awkward as he pokes at his meal. He’s trying to avoid asking a similar question in return; ‘And have you finally decided what you’re going to do at college, Rika?’ I’m working on it! But Hisao worries so I need to give him something.
“I’ve been talking to a bunch of my teachers about college too,” My paltry offering to the topic of further education leaves a lot to be desired in comparison but at least I didn’t wait for him to ask. “Just have to decide between taking my medical knowledge further or developing some of my technical programming skills.”
Hisao perks up a little when I mention specific fields of interest. They’re my most viable options for college buuuut I’m not exactly feeling them right now. I mean it’d be cool to go into the same field as my Mom - pay it forward in a way - but it’s a lot of responsibility and the idea of having other people’s lives in my hands…
“That’s good. I’ll be cheering you on too.” Hisao responds with a thoughtful nod and a smirk. We sample each other’s food before we finish up the meal, content and with full bellies.
“Oof, I’m gonna need like an hour before we go dancing…” I puff out my cheeks a little to make Hisao laugh.
“I second that.” He chuckles, leaning back as we bask in the post-meal lull. We talk about how good the meal was for fifteen minutes, dissecting the meal and breaking down how it compares to our previous Italian dishes. We leave after paying, arm-in-arm, into the bustling Sendai streets.
The dusky sun and breeze is refreshing in a way I didn’t expect. Like the closed atmosphere of the restaurant was stuffier than I really noticed. Maybe it’s just the anxiety, or anticipation, of wanting this to be a perfect evening that’s got me so heated.
I check the notes on my phone for directions as we take a leisurely walk in the general direction of a particular bar that I’ve heard about that has live bands and dancing. I heard it from Fuuka, who heard it from Akio, who heard it from a classmate. I think.
“I have to say; I’m excited to go to this place. Akio’s talked about it.”
“Oh! That’s who Fuuka said told her! Did he tell you who told him about it?” I ask and Hisao thinks for a second before smirking.
“I have an idea…”
“…And that is?”
“Don’t worry about it. If it’s who I think it is, it should be a nice, chilled-out kind of place.” Hisao answers enigmatically. Fine, keep your secrets! I scowl playfully at him as he goes on a tangent about how he borrowed clothes from Akio. It’s a story I’d usually be enamoured with but my attention is drawn to an electronics store in an alcove.
I don’t even realise I’ve stopped until Hisao’s arm tugs mine forward and he looks back, a step ahead of me.
“You okay?” Hisao asks immediately but I don’t mind it this time; that was a legitimate space-out moment.
“Yeah! Yeah! I just spotted something…” I say to him before looking back at the store and then back to Hisao with a guilty wince. “Gimme just one second, I promise I won’t be long!”
I decouple from Hisao’s arm and trot over to the store, making a quick note of the PS2 controllers in the window because I can tell the inputs on mine are getting worn out. I pop my head through the door to the cramped as hell, ten-by-ten box of a store. There’s just enough room to step inside but the rest of the room is packed to the roof with retro consoles, niche games, controllers, and - most importantly to me - components.
“Excuse me? Hi! Wondering if you can help me with something?” I announce myself to the middle-aged man behind the counter, who looks up from his tinkering. Looks like he’s fitting new internals into a Fukkokuban fight stick. Cool.
“Oh! Hey there, miss! You, uh, looking for directions?” He asks, giving me a cursory look up-and-down. I look at myself and realise I’m not exactly dressed like I want to buy gaming paraphernalia.
“No-no, I actually spotted that ASCII Capcom FT in your window and wondered what the price was?” I point at the black box in the window with the Capcom vs. SNK branding. “My classmate asked me to keep a lookout for Dreamcast gamepads. Kind of a retro head.”
“Oh! Yeah, the box is a little sun-damaged so I can do four and half thousand yen on that.” He plucks the box out of the window easily, as nearly everything could be in arms-reach with a stretch. I take the box in hand and turn it over a couple times.
“Huh, cool.” I try not to give away how much of a steal that is for this kind of pad on the secondary market but it’s still a little too pricey for me to buy on the spot for Daisuke. He’s mostly good for it but I promised Mom I would keep to a budget.
“Well, I’ll let him know where he can pick it up.” I hand the box back to the clerk with a smile and pull out my phone, typing out a quick text to Daisuke.
“I should have known.” Hisao’s voice says behind me and I throw him an apologetic smile.
“You two look fancy. You out on a date?”
“Yup, but even then I can’t drag her away from games.” Hisao chuckles back, folding his arms and leaning against the doorframe.
“I’m soooo sorry, Hisao! I just saw this pad that my classmate is after an-” I blush, suddenly embarrassed in front of two guys who should really get the thrill of finding treasure out in the wild.
“Don’t worry, I get it.” Hisao interjects, allowing me to finish the text. “All done?”
“Noooot quite.” I wince and look back at the clerk. “Do you have any replacement silicone pads and thumbsticks for Dual Shock 2s?”
“I do, just five hundred yen for them both.” He laughs to himself, leaning under the counter and pulling out a plastic bin of sealed plastic wrappers. I pluck out one of each then fish a note out of my purse. “Enjoy your purchase.”
“Thanks, I’ll be sure to be back soon. You’ve got a lot of cool stuff!”
“Well make sure you don’t interrupt a fancy date next time.” He looks past me to Hisao and I follow his gaze. “The things we do for love, huh?”
“You’re telling me.” Hisao looks affectionately at me as I step out of the store and link arms again. “Thanks!”
“Have fun, you two!” is the last thing I hear from him as we continue on our way. I receive a text back and quickly send a smiley emoji to Daisuke in response to his thanks.
“Anything I should worry about?” Hisao peers at my screen and I pull it away.
“Nosey! No, Daisuke is just a classmate with an unfortunate attachment to a dead console.”
“Different strokes, I suppose. I wasn’t big on fighting games until I started hanging out with you and now look at me.”
“Yeah, you’ve graduated from scrub to less-of-a-scrub!” I playfully jostle my boyfriend.
“I’ll have to make you eat those words next time we play. Just make sure you don’t give me the bad controller.”
“I don’t have bad controllers, just slightly more used controllers.”
“I’m just saying; if my inputs don’t register, I’m calling shenanigans.”
We laugh as we continue on; taking a few side streets before I spot the sign I was told to look out for. A glossy black sign with ‘Midnight’ written in cursive English. The club’s upbeat music bleeds into the street as we approach but the large man at the door isn’t what I expected given what I’ve been told.
“Uh, hi. Nice evening.” I smile crookedly at the intimidating man who looks at us both through suspicious eyes then breaks into a broad smile of his own.
“It is. Yamaku students?” He asks, his expression lightening. Hisao and I look at each other before Hisao answers.
“Y-yeah. How did you know?”
“Not to jump to conclusions but you’re teenagers and, well…” The bouncer tilts his head and raises one eyebrow in my direction. “One of my cousins went there and we get a few of youse in here from time-to-time.”
“So it’s alright for us to go in?” I ask and he shakes his head.
“Sorry, it’s some company’s private function this evening. Can’t let you in and, just between us, I wouldn’t want you exposed to these tools.” The bouncer’s candid kindness surprises me. He has to be a tough guy for this kind of job but he’s being super-nice. Even if he’s ruining my plans.
“Oh. Okay. I guess we can find somewhere else to go dancing.” I sigh, looking at Hisao as if his face would hold the answers to where we can go next. Which it doesn’t.
“Believe me, I’d rather have this place full of you kids in the evenings. Always respectful, never push your luck too far with the staff… Sorry. Maybe try during the week.”
“Alright, thanks for the tip. Hope you have a good evening, sir.” Hisao nods and leads me away as I frown, my thoughts reaching for other ideas, desperately searching my memory for anyplace where we can dance. I’ve got nothing. I don’t know where adults go.
“Hey. It’s alright.” Hisao’s soft smile invites me back into the real world and I sigh.
“I’m sorry. I should have called to make sure…” Though I bet Mom would have done that for me too… I’m wearing borrowed clothes, spending someone else’s money, with no back-up plan. God, I don’t know what I was thinking… Playing adult.
“Hang on!” Hisao’s excited voice brings me out of my head for the second time in as many minutes. He looks at me with a cheeky smile and then pulls me along quickly towards bright, shining lights. The noise of the world finally registers and I realise that he’s pulling me into an arcade and the branding immediately tells me this is the Hi-Tech SEGA.
“W-wait! Hisao!” I pull against Hisao’s tugging and he stops, looking back at me.
“What? This is way better than going dancing, right?” He gestures to the lines of arcade cabinets, the taiko machines, the racing rigs and the rhythm stages. Is he trying to cheer me up after I whiffed the big event for the evening. Well, second biggest… “Something a little more your speed?”
“Are you sure?” I ask, warily. “I wanted this to be like a serious date-”
“And then we went to a game store so I think that ship has sailed.” He chuckles but it just makes me feel worse.
“I’m sorry about that!”
“I’m not complaining, Rika. I probably would have done the same if I saw a place that sold Kit-Kats for Molly.”
“Yeah, but-” I’m interrupted as Hisao pushes on my shoulders, forcing me onto a bench. He spins me around and I’m facing a Virtua Fighter cabinet. This is a punishment. He’s pissed about the gaming store and the club, that’s the only explanation for planting me in front of this… This.
“No ‘buts’! Only butt-kicking!” He says with surprising earnestness. Wait…
“Seriously? You know I only play Tekken, right? I haven’t played VF since you could cut yourself on the polygons.” I throw him an incredulous look. In return, Hisao folds his arms and gives me that challenging look that he thinks makes me competitive. It’s working.
“I thought you were good at fighting games.” He says in the most condescending, sarcastic tone imaginable and I put on my game face.
“Hook me up then. I’m not paying money for this garbage.” I roll my wrists as Hisao pulls a couple coins out of his trousers. Alright, lets see what I can pull off with this nonsense.
Three matches and much cursing later, Hisao drags me away from the machine before I burn through more of his money or I flip the cabinet; whichever comes first.
“That was such bullshit! Did you see how floaty that was? How do people play that shit!?” I complain loudly as Hisao pats my shoulders, looking around nervously.
“Okay, okay, I get it - just calm down. It’s just a game. One you said was garbage.”
“That’s not the point! Arrrgh, there’s gotta be something in here I’m goo-Oh, that’s perfect!” My eyes widen as much as my grin as I see exactly what we, and by that I mean I, need. A different game, that we can both play, that I’m somewhat good at. It’s my turn to pull Hisao along and I do, toward a DDR machine.
I drag a reluctant Hisao over to one of the free ones that has a two-player stage and pull him onto the stage beside me.
“Whoa, Rika, I don’t think this game is really designed for m-”
“Hush, Hisao! I said we’d go dancing and that’s what we’re doing!” I flash a cheeky smile and position him in a neutral way. “Okay! Crash course; watch the screen, hit the buttons on the floor with your feet.”
“I know how Dance Dance Revolution works, Rika. I’m pretty good at games with peripherals, remember?” He says cockily, removing his jacket, draping it across the guard rail and rolling up his sleeves.
“Oooh, I love it when you’re confident!” I scrunch my nose at him as I take my position on the tandem stage. “It’s in English so just focus on the beat.”
“Try to keep up.” Hisao teases as we focus on the screen as the music starts and watch for the rising arrows. Hisao’s head bobs up and down, trying to match his footwork to the music, I feel the beat in my bones. I’d never really thought about a genre of music being my favourite, unless you count video game soundtracks, but EDM is certainly something I can bop to.
We manage to go for two whole minutes before Hisao waves his hands, huffing and puffing. There’s a lull in the music and I grab Hisao’s shoulder. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just winded! I’ll be okay!” He gives me a thumbs-up and leans back on the guardrail of the stage. “Keep going!”
My concerned looks are dismissed by Hisao, insisting that I continue the game. Okaaaaay… The very least I can do is give my poor boyfriend a show! Warping womps increase their tempo as the lyrics kick in again.
Fee-lings, you can't deny, that you're living, open up your eyes
And I just wanna sink into your crazy laughter
Come on, make me feel until the pain don't matter
Every second here makes my heart beat faster
Finally think I found what I'm chasing after.
I make deliberate moves, each step accompanied by an arm movement or a flourish as I step in time to the music. I don’t know if this looks good or not but peeking over my shoulder tells me Hisao is enjoying the show at least. My cheeks warm out of embarrassment though who can tell given all the effort I’m putting into this silly rhythm game.
All alone, just the beat inside my soul
Take me home, where my dreams are made of gold
In the zone, where the beat is un-controlled.
I know what it feels like
Come on make me feel alive
The electronica intensifies and my quick steps become stomps as the bass drops. My focus is solely on the next icon to hit, the world fades away and my vision is consumed by the arrows.
The corners of my vision darkens. Okay, that’s my cue to stop. I slow my pace and suddenly realise how hard I’m breathing.
My heart is racing. I stop dancing altogether, lean forward, and brace myself against the machine. My head spins. I lasted longer than Hisao, at least. Heh. My head clears and I take a long breath inwards, letting out a satisfied gust of air a few seconds later. Right.
I look around and don’t find Hisao. His jacket’s gone and he’s nowhere to be seen. What the fuck? My mind and heart pulse in anxious unity as I look all across the arcade from this slightly raised platform.
“Hisao? Hisao!” I call out, drawing the attention of a couple patrons who look at me oddly. I call out a few more times before Hisao appears out of the crowd. I sigh heavily, resting my head against the guardrail when I see the two cold cans, one in each hand. Geez…
“All done? Wait, what’s wrong?” His concern is almost relieving but I chuckle as I straighten up and wipe the sweat from my forehead.
“Nothing. Just need some air and didn’t want to lose you.”
“You know, even if this wasn’t the adult date you wanted… I think I liked this more.” Hisao ponders as we wait for the bus back to Yamaku. The gentle breeze and cold drink is refreshing after such an intense game.
“Really?”
“Yeah. It was more… You.”
“Awww! Well, next time we can do your side quests instead.”
“I actually enjoyed the arcade. Apart from wearing myself out.” That’s a good point… He’s so nonchalant and cool about it that I wonder if I’m going to have to bring that up. Is this the right time to? Should I wait until we get back to Yamaku? Can I make it a joke? Is that okay? I’m never going to know unless I at least try…
“I… hope y-you’re not too tired…” I try to be cute or seductive or something but I just feel silly. Hisao, thankfully, takes it in stride and leans in with a pretty suave look.
“I think I’ve got a final round in me. Shall we…” He pauses, frowns, and then finishes his thought. “… 1v1... when we get back?”
I can’t help but laugh at his use of game terms but smirk at his earnest attempt and repay his energy in kind as the bus pulls up to the stop. My cheeks burn as I kiss his lips.
“You’ve never beaten me in a 1v1, Hisao.” I find my confidence and pull him onto his feet with a seductive, coquettish smile. “But I’d love to see you try.”
Accept Side Quest? Bonus Level: Live & Learn
Previous Level <---> Next Level
Yay updates!
I didn't notice any typos, nice art also 
Ayeeeee!
In the middle of the road receiving a notification about new Flutter chapter is the best thing possible. Thanks.
Also, Rika interrupting the date for buying controller parts is the Rika-est thing ever xD
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Fleeting Heartbeat Studios: site, Discord.
My own legacy.
We gotta love our adorkable Rika, interrupting a date to buy DS2 thumbsticks.
If Iwanako had a route, would the tagline be "Can you find it in your heart?"
A perfect date never goes as planned! But sometimes that's for the better. This was cute and great and fun... which makes me worry for what may be coming. Little did I know the story's name was meant to be a warning about the state of the reader's heart as time went on.
My limbs creak as I stretch across my bed, twisting my back until I can’t twist anymore. I let out a satisfied moan as my body goes limp. My eyes flutter open, reaching for a body that isn’t there. I swear I had a boy here not too long ago…
I sit up, clutching the duvet to my chest, peering into the still dark room. The approaching dawn helps highlight the shuffling shadow in the darkness.
“Hisao? Where are you going?” I ask as my boyfriend finishes buckling his pants.
“S-sorry!” He whispers, creeping over to my bed to kiss my forehead. “I didn’t mean to wake you!”
“It’s, mm, okay. What are you doing?” I ask, still a little bleary-eyed.
“I forgot to take my medication last night and I can’t exactly shower over here plus I think I ought to go check-in with the Nurse before I go to class.” Hisao rambles and I plant a finger on his lips.
“I get it, I get it. I just wish I could cuddle some more before you had to go.” I smile toward his voice, barely able to keep my eyes open.
“Me too but I’ll catch you later, okay?” Hisao reassures, gently lowering me back to the bed.
“Okay, senpai…” I yawn, snuggling back into my duvet and drifting back into sleep. “Love you…”
“I think I caught a draft on my neck…” I grimace as I crane my neck to the left, rubbing the right side. I roll my head around in a circular motion, lolling it back-and-forth over a soft gristle-y noise in the back of my head where the pain is worst. “Ugh, this is going to be my whole day…”
“Is that it? The only thing you have to report about last night is that you’re getting old?” Fuuka glares at me incredulously from across the cafeteria table. Her boyfriend, Jiro, chuckles to himself as he butters his morning toast.
“Leave her alone, Fuuka.” He bumps her shoulder with his own before looking at me. “Did you two have a fun date?”
“Oh, yeah! It was really fun! We couldn’t go dancing at the place I wanted but we figured it out.”
“Aaaaand?” Fuuka leans-in expectantly but Jiro reins her in. She pouts up at her partner, who can only shake his head at her rampant nosiness. I breathe a little sigh of relief and give him an appreciative smile.
“And it was nice.” I say honestly, even if the night didn’t go exactly the way I wanted. I think Hisao enjoyed himself; it’s just a shame he passed out from all the excitement… But I at least got to feel him inside me before that happened. I should check-in with him, to see if he’s okay and if he’d be up for…
“Rika, you’re blushing~!” Fuuka’s teasing brings me back to the present moment and I realise my skin is pinker than usual.
“Knock it off, you’re embarrassing her!” Jiro softly karate chops the top of Fuuka’s head.
“Hey! It’s not like we weren’t doing the same thing!” She purses her lips and bops her boyfriend on the arm, his own face burning red in much the same way mine is. Only Fuuka is so shameless that naughty thoughts don’t make her blush.
There’s only a few minutes before the bell rings and classes start, but there’s absolutely no sign of Hisao inside his classroom… “What the heck? Where is he?”
“Seriously. I thought you two would still be attached at the hip after las-” The smug smirk of Akio Hayashi disappears as he’s pulled, by his collar, back into the classroom by Molly Kapur. Thank you, Molly…
“Pack it in, Akio!” Molly chides as she takes his place at the rear door, looking up and down the hall before returning her focus to me. “Look; you chip off and we’ll let you know if he’s just late or whatever, yeah?”
I really should get to class… “Thanks, Molly, appreciate it. See you later.”
While I power-walk my way to my own classroom, I anxiously thumb a text to my absent boyfriend.
[Hey Senpai, hope Doc didn’t give you a hard time this morning! Let me know if you’re free for lunch!]
I reach my class and slip into my seat next to Fuuka just as the bell rings. Still no response from Hisao…
“What’s up?”
“Hisao wasn’t there and I haven’t heard from him all morning.” I sigh, propped up against my desk by my elbows. I grip my biceps nervously, frowning down at my desk.
“I’m sure he’s okay. He might’ve just have left his phone in his room.” Fuuka shrugs. That must be it. He got up super-early and had a whole bunch of stuff to do before class so he probably just forgot his phone!
“Yeah, you’re right!”
“Duh! Of course I am!”
Time passes agonisingly slow while I wait for the tell-tale vibration of a message from Hisao. A message that doesn’t come. As soon as the lunch bell rings, I bolt up from my desk and head back to Class 3-3. Please be there, please be there, please be there…
I reach the room as the last few students file out. I don’t recognise any of them; I don’t even know how well they know Hisao… I just end up stepping back to the opposite side of the hall, craning my neck past the crowds to see if I can find anyone that I know but find nothing but a sea of bodies.
I grumble, knocking the back of my head against the wall before pushing myself away from it and towards the stairs, defeated. I’m sure he’s fine. I scratch the back of my head, annoyed that he hasn’t gotten back to me yet. I should get food… Can’t chase my boyfriend all over campus on an empty stomach and he might be there anyway…
The line for lunch goes out the door to the cafeteria as expected. Tilting out of the line to look down its length doesn’t yield me any sign of Hisao but I do see a larger guy and a small blonde hanging off his arm further down; Taro and Saki. Too far to talk right now and I don’t want to cut in line either… I guess I can wait for now…
The boy in front of me looks back over his shoulder and double-takes before grinning and holding up his hand. “Hey, Rika.”
I blink a couple times before I even register that it’s Daisuke, my classmate. “Lost in your thoughts there?”
“Y-yeah, sorry Daisuke.”
“No worries. Whatcha waitin’ for?”
“Uh, lunch?”
“Oh yeah, that makes sense.” He grins dopily, as he often does. “Thanks for the tip about the FT controller, by the way! I’m heading into the city to grab it straight after school!”
“Heh, no problem. I was out with my boyfriend when I spotted it. You haven’t seen him around, have you?”
“That third-year with the hair, right?” Daisuke ponders, his left hand mimicking Hisao’s hair flip. “Don’t think so…”
I pull out my phone and see no new messages. Again. Alright, time for a guilt trip!
[Going to lunch alone because I can’t find you (ಥ﹏ಥ)]
“Hey, d’you wanna run a few sets in the club room when I get back?” Daisuke asks as we shuffle forward with the line while I put my phone away.
“This isn’t another ploy to get me to join the GRC, is it?” I give him a knowing look, which is countered by a shrug.
“Maaaybe. I also wanna put my new toy through its paces and you’re the only person I know who’s actually any good at fighters. My clubmates are too busy messing around with Wii peripherals, trying to jury rig a better one-handed controller, to bother with classic controllers.”
I snort with laughter at his plight. That’s partly why I never bothered joining the Gaming Research Club; I prefer playing games to making them into homework. Still, it’s a worthwhile endeavour; especially around here.
“I’ll have to let you know.” I answer, shuffling forward some more. “I don’t know what’s happening later.”
“Ah, gotcha.” Daisuke winks. We make more small talk as the line moves but as soon as I have my bread-y lunch in-hand, I make a bee-line for Taro and Saki’s table. The pair are flirting up a storm as I toss my bread onto the table.
“Oh! Hey, Rika!” Saki greets with a smile but I only give a respectful nod before turning my attention to my real target.
“Taro; please tell me you’ve seen Hisao today.” I look to Hisao’s classmate to ease my anxiety and he gulps hard, a look of confusion on his face.
“I haven’t… I just assumed he was out sick. Is something wrong?”
“I hope not… I haven’t seen him since he left thi-” I stop in my mental tracks when I realise what I’m saying out loud. My eyes dart between Saki and Taro while I try to think of something else to say but Saki quickly turns to her boyfriend.
“I’m surprised you didn’t see him this morning. You left my room pretty early.” Saki states that little revelation so matter-of-factly that Taro splutters a little before sheepishly glancing at me. Saki simply snorts with amusement.
“Oh, please, we’re all grown-ups here. You stayed the night,” Her finger swings from Taro to me. “And Hisao stayed the night too, I assume?”
“Y-Yeah…” I blush crimson but can’t help but smile a little.
“Like I said.” Saki says smugly.
“I didn’t see him, no. And I know for sure he hasn’t been in class; he sits right in front of me.” Taro explains and my heart sinks.
“Crapbaskets…” I mutter quietly, rubbing my forehead.
“So he’s not been in touch? Like, at all?” Saki asks.
“I went to his class earlier but he wasn’t there and he hasn’t messaged me back…” I slowly stand up from the table; the most obvious course of action now is to make sure he isn’t hurt. “I should check-in with the Doc.”
“I’ll ask around, see if anyone’s seen him since lunch started.” Taro pulls his own phone out as Saki pushes herself off the bench. She makes a move towards me before stopping, flashing a huge smile and then leaning over to kiss Taro on the cheek.
“Keep us in the loop, darling.” Taro’s face becomes more flustered before switching to that determined look I’ve seen him get sometimes.
Saki sidles up to me and, before I can protest, she’s interlocked her arm with mine and is all but dragging me away. Didn’t even get to eat my bread…
“Uh-oh. This looks like trouble.” The Doctor smirks as he turns away from locking his door before his eyebrows rise expectantly. “I hope this isn’t urgent.”
“Did Hisao come to see you today? Early morning time?” I ask, hoping that he at least saw the Doc and this pit in my stomach can be filled somewhat.
“Yes, I saw Nakai this morning.” He eyes Saki before returning his gaze to me. “He just wanted some advice about syncope and a recent exercise regime he’s started.”
There’s a short, sharp ‘hm’ noise in Saki’s throat but I breathe a little sigh of relief at that news at least.
“So he’s okay?”
“I gave him the once over and he was fine. He did ask about circulation problems though, like digits feeling cold. Have you noticed anything like that?” Alright, that feels like a question directed squarely at me…
“Nothing comes to mind. The seasons are changing; maybe that’s the issue?” I gently fib. I know Hisao’s been on my case about that but why would he bring that up with the Doc? And why would he skip classes if he’s fine?
“Okay! Sounds like everything’s fine then!” Saki chimes in and attempts to pull me away. “Sorry to interrupt your lunch, sir!”
“Wait a minute, please.” The Doc orders and we both freeze in place. “If you have any concerns about Hisao in himself - I recommend asking him directly before trying to get info out of me.”
What do you think I’ve been trying to do!? No, don’t lose your cool with the Doc…
“I will but you know how he can be sometimes.” I turn a little and offer a little smile. His right eyebrow twitches a little but he nods with seeming understanding.
“You know where I am if you need anything.” He says and I nod back. “The same goes for you, Enomoto.”
Saki beams and pulls me down the hall again. We separate away from the authority figure before her grin fades, Saki side-eyeing me as we leave the medical wing.
“So he passed out last night?” She asks bluntly.
“Wh-what? Th-that’s not…” Oh, right. She’s clever… I forgot that.
“Oh, honey. I know what syncope means.” Saki gives me a sympathetic look. “Do you think that’s why he’s not been around? Because his pride took a dent?”
“Well, I didn’t until now…” I huff. “It can’t be that… I told him it was fine…”
“And I’m sure deep down he knows that.” Saki reassures, slowing a little and reaching for a hand rail. She rests her butt against the railing and I take up a spot beside her while we both catch our breath. “But it’s still gonna sting if you faint during your first time.”
“I did when we were doing other stuff. I didn’t freak out and not talk to him.” I admit quietly but with a little bitterness in my voice. If he is freaking out about last night, I’m going to have to give him a talking to…
“Well, girls are more mature than boys.” Saki cheekily says, nudging my shoulder with hers. Alright, I think I’ve had enough talk about my love life for the time being.
“Speaking of… Have a very grown-up, mature evening with Taro?” I smirk back at her. “Finally get that physicality you were hoping for?”
Saki’s eyes grow wide as her cheeks burn crimson. She looks away as her lips curl over her teeth, like she’s trying to seal her mouth shut, but there’s the tell-tale dimples in her cheeks that can’t hide that she’s smiling. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear her whole being sort of lit up with joy.
“Mm-hmm…” She hums melodically, avoiding eye contact.
“Wow, really?!” I loll my head in disbelief. Between her and Fuuka, I’m not proud to admit that I’m a little jealous that their nights were much better than mine but still… She’s clearly over the moon.
“Sorry! That was a shitty thing to bring up, all things considered!” Saki shifts gears but I stop her just as quickly. As bummed as I am, I can’t begrudge her some happiness.
“No, no, I asked.” I smile, despite myself. “Though I’m really gonna give Hisao hell when I see him now…”
My phone died sometime during fifth period. It’s taking all of my strength not to bang my head against the desk but I guess I’ll settle for resting my eyes during the group work with Emiko.
Emiko asks me questions every now-and-then but Fuuka carries us through this workload without my help by picking up my slack. Have I become one of those girlfriends? The kind that can’t function without talking to her boyfriend? No! Hisao’s being a butt! That’s the only reason I’m distracted and worried and annoyed.
I mean; how hard is it to send a message, huh? Oh, he better actually be totally depressed or something because at a certain point, he’s just being rude!
I feel every tick of the clock before the final day’s bell rings, despite my best effort to try and engage with the work in front of me. However, by the time the bell rings, I find I don’t have the energy to bolt to Class 3-3 like I did at lunch. Probably for the best, I’ve been chasing Hisao all over the school today and I’d rather not have another whiteout…
“Hey, let’s go check-in with the others.” Fuuka shoots me a smile and I simply nod, blowing air out of my nose in lieu of a sigh. We follow the crowd all the way to the elevators but it’s while we’re waiting with a couple other kids that an ear-piercing whistle rings out through the halls.
“Oi-oi!” The source of the whistle grins from the top of the stairs, arms crossed across her chest. Molly steps back and allows two more people to come up the stairs, the red-haired Akio and a girl I’ve seen around the school - a shy girl who hides her scars behind her hair.
“Hey, Molly! Red! What’s up?” Fuuka beams as she spins in place to face them.
“Well, we couldn’t find your boyfriend but we got you the next best thing!” Akio announces, holding his arms out to present the girl just behind him.
“I’m not going to speak for Rika but I’m pretty sure she likes her boys with boy parts.” Fuuka snorts with amusement.
There’s a beat of realisation right after the girl looks at Akio, then at us, then back to Akio, before she panics with an ‘eep’ noise. She disappears into her hair then slinks behind Akio.
“What the hell is this, Akio?” I ask, not even caring to hide my annoyance.
“Alright, alright, if you’re gonna be like that…” Akio responds defensively, standing in front of the shy girl after looking back at her. “Hanako here has managed something no one else today has; she’s actually talked to Hisao.”
“What!?” My shouting seems to make the shy girl hide even more behind Akio. “Sorry, I’m sorry, um…”
“H-Hanako…” The girl quietly says.
“I’m sorry for shouting, Hanako, I’ve just been worried about Hisao all day and no one’s seen him. Well, except you, that is.” I adjust my tone, lower my volume, try to look less crazy, anything to get this girl back on my side. “Oh, I’m Rika, by the way.”
“Y-y-yeah, I know, I’ve s-s-seen your-nevermind. H-Hisao came into the l-l-library during lunch time.” Hanako peeks out and finds her confidence with a nod for Akio. “He said he didn’t feel w-w-well but he l-looked fine to me. I t-told him I h-had a panic attack just before lunch and he asked h-how I f-felt. He sat n-next to me while I read…”
I should be more patient with this Hanako; she’s clearly got some sort of social anxiety but I’m really hoping she gets to the point soon.
“Hisao seemed l-like he w-was lost in thought. No, n-not just that. He l-looked… He looked l-like he did when y-you w-were in the hospital…” Hanako trails off and I think about all the times I’ve seen him sad, when he was stuck in his own head. Dammit, I should have talked to him more last night…
“But you left him there when lunch ended, right?” Akio asks her and she nods.
“I’m s-sorry I d-don’t know anymore, R-Rika.” Hanako looks at me apologetically and I have to give her a smile in return.
“That’s alright, Hanako. I appreciate you telling me. And for looking out for Hisao.” I chuckle a little and she smiles back. She looks to Akio and he gives her a smirk and a nod that says ‘good job’.
“I sh-should b-be getting to my cl-club but it was n-nice to m-meet you f-finally.” Hanako bows a little and Akio follows her to the stairs as Molly takes up her spot.
“Has he messaged you back yet?” She asks and I shake my head, holding up my dead phone. She frowns a little before trying to put on a brighter expression.
“Bloody hell… I’m gonna give that lad a right bollocking when I see him.” Molly pouts after a string of words I don’t quite understand but get the gist of.
“Thanks anyway, I’m gonna go get changed and charge my phone.” I sigh as I hit the elevator call button for Fuuka again before going to the stairs. “I’ll talk to you guys later.”
“Call me!” Fuuka calls out as I disappear down the stairs. At least someone other than the Doc talked to him but still, what the hell’s his deal?
I walk across the quad and into the girls’ dorms without saying another word to anyone. My hands shake a little as I put the key into my door. I throw my bag against the wall in frustration while looking for my charger.
I tear my bow from my collar, collapse onto my bed, and scream into my pillow. All of my anger and frustration with Hisao let loose in a couple growling yells into my pillow. I roll onto my back and rub my face, angrily huffing at no one and nothing. I don’t know what I’m angrier at; Hisao, for not talking to me, or myself, for not talking to him.
How can I be there for him if he doesn’t tell me? All that hovering he’s done around me but he takes a little knock and skips a whole day of classes? I thought he smarter than that. I thought he was stronger now. I thought I knew how to handle him…
I groan as I hear my phone come to life, then vibrate and chime with a text message. I’m about to pick it up when there’s a knock at my door. Is it too much to ask that this is Hisao? Probably, given how popular I’ve been today with everyone but him. I finish my thought as I open the door to a familiar boy, with brown hair and signature cowlick. Of course he shows up now!
“Where the hell have you been, Hisao?” I question, looking him over incredulously. “Why haven’t you been in class? Are you alright? Is it too much to send me a little heads-up? Is this about last night? Seriously, have you lost your phone?”
I bombard him with question-after-question while he stands there placidly, looking into the middle distance between us before he pulls something out of his pocket.
“Hey,” He holds up the folded paper and I see the name written on it. “I think we need to talk.”
The letter is addressed to Hisao. My letter to Hisao.
Crapbaskets.
Previous Level <---> Next Level
first-time
should be 'first time'
Also, thanks for the words. Damn cliffhangers.
Ohhh, now I remember. Crapbaskets indeed...
If Iwanako had a route, would the tagline be "Can you find it in your heart?"
There was no way this particular Chekov's gun wasn't going to be fired... now too see what the consequences are. Also interested in seeing what Rika wrote down for Hisao. I'm sure it's heavy considering the circumstances that it was supposed to be read in, and by the fact that Hisao took an entire day to confront his own thoughts and reactions to it.
The letter is spawned back, ha. What a cliffhanger.
Looking forward for the next chapter!
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Fleeting Heartbeat Studios: site, Discord.
My own legacy.
Uh oh. How'd Hisao even find that letter?
