S13 Submission

[Grayest]

To: Lap.
Prompt: It was pretty heavily implied in the KS Alpha version that Misha & Emi were a couple at one point. Gimme a story about these two mis-matched lovebirds.
Story title: Strawberry lemonade


A light breeze causes the branches overhead to rattle together like an un-tuned xylophone.

This is a popular place for couples this time of year, the winter-tide landscape combined with the sound of snow and wind makes an atmosphere that makes you feel like you've been transported somewhere magical. I rub my gloves together to keep my hands warm as I wait for Ibarazaki-chan to arrive. I don't mind waiting for her, but she usually never takes this long.

I release a deep sigh that creates a heap of fogginess from my mouth. Just as I'm about to take out my phone and call Emi, I hear footsteps maybe a meter or two behind me.

"Heya! Sorry to keep you waiting, I had almost forgotten something."

Ibarazaki-chan had always been quiet when walking through the snow, weather it was deliberately, or had something to with her prosthetic legs, I wasn't totally sure.

"Oh! It's no problem, better late than never, whahaha!"

She smiles at me a little. That adorable smile of hers is something that warms my heart out in a cold place like this. She then takes something out of her coat-pocket.

"Merry Christmas, Shiina."

It's a small snowglobe with a gingerbread house inside. Ibarazaki-chan knows how much I love cute things, I feel bad for not having something to give back immediately. I carefully take the gift, coddling it in my hands.

"Its- I love it! Thank you Ibarazaki-chan! I'm really, really sorry I don't have anything for you. But I'll have something soon! I promise!"

"No, no its alright. We have the yearly gift exchange our class does, you'll have your chance."

I then rest the snowglobe in the zipper pocket of my own coat.

"Oh, is there something in particular you wanted to talk about?"

Emi begins to walk along the park's nearby trail.

"Ehh, not really. I just wanted to spend time with you, especially at a pretty place like this!"

"Yeah! That's fair, whaha!"

"Although I did want to ask how the sign language thingy you have is coming along. You're going to be interpreting for that new student, what was her name again?"

"Ah! Shicchan!"

"Yep, that's her."

"What about Shicchan?"

"Well..."

Ibarazaki-chan starts to look a little discouraged.

"Every person I know who's became an interpreter never had any time to do anything else. It sucks honestly."

She continues

"I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about us."

Now that I think of it, Ibarazaki-chan might have a point. We both just about stop walking and look directly at each other. Its hard thinking of a response to her, but I kinda manage to come up with something.

"Well Ibarazaki-chan, we'll be together anyways right? Even if it takes up all my time, we'll still manage right? Right!? We are a couple after all, whahaha!"

Emi lightly chuckles at my response. Maybe it was a better response than I thought.

"If you say so!"

"Oh and I promise that I'll give you something at the Christmas party, I swear!"

"Promise me you'll save some sweets for me this year, okay?"

"Aww C'mon, you know how I'm self-conci.. You know, self-conscious about my appearance?"

She gives me a playful look

"It was a joke, silly. You'll always be cute."

She then grabs my hand without asking to hold it, as Ibarazaki-chan usually does. We continue our walk in this winter wonderland talking about anything and everything you can think of! I'm sure that we'll make it as a couple, hopefully Shicchan can become a good friend of ours!

[Lap]

Thank you! That was sweet, and I love the title

[Asoko_Desu]

Painfully cute - and bittersweet. Oh, the things that could have been - I really enjoyed it!

[Oddball]

I'll agree that the title is perfect. The story is generally nice, short, and sweet, although everytime I saw "Ibarazaki-chan" it threw me a little.