“So, Hisao,” Saki asks, grabbing my attention. “Did you have a better idea about what type of swimsuit you wanted to get? There's a few stores where we're going and they sell all kinds of different types.”
“No...not really,” I say with difficulty, bringing my cup of coffee up to my lips and taking another sip. I feel the warmth spreading through my mouth and hope it can unfreeze my tongue. “Something cheap and functional,” I amend, noticing that I was only partially successful.
“Aw, you're no fun,” Chisato smirks. “No Speedo?”
“God, no,” I say, my face settling into disgust before my cheeks have a chance to turn red.
“I was thinking of getting a new suit too,” Saki says. “There's some good sales going on right now for summer.”
“You outgrow that bikini from last year already?” Chisato teases.
“No, but any excuse I have to buy a new one, I take it.”
“You don't know the half of it,” Chisato says, lowering her voice, turning her attention to Noriko and myself. “We went to the beach or the waterpark last year, what...five times?”
“Six,” Saki corrects.
“Right, six. Girl had a different swimsuit every single time we went. And not just a new one for the trip. I swear she had a new one for every
day.”
“Completely untrue. They weren't new, I just packed enough where I didn't have to wear one more than once.”
“That's...weird,” Noriko says.
“Oh please, why should a swimsuit be any different than other pieces of clothing? I mean it's not like you would wear the same outfit two or three days in a row, so why would you do the same with a swimsuit?”
Please don't look at me. Please don't look at me. Please don't lo-
“Right, Hisao?”
Damnit.
I imagine all the identical orderly clothing in my closet. Even aside from school uniforms, I don't have much, and I'm wearing most of it.
“Don't look at me,” I say with a shrug. “Normal clothes, yeah, but a swimsuit...just hang it on the shower curtain rod and it's ready to go the next day.”
“Ugh,
boys,” Saki says with a horrified shudder. This causes the other two to laugh.
Mrs. Sakamoto comes back to the table and sits down.
“Is everything alright?” Chisato asks.
“Oh, yes, everything is fine,” Mrs. Sakamoto replies. “That was just my husband. It seems his boss let him out of work early today. He called me to see where I was.”
“Oh?” Saki asks.
“Yes. He knew I was taking our car today but I don't think he realized he would be off so soon.”
“Does he work near here?” I ask.
“Not too far, just further downtown.”
“Hmmm...” Chisato hums thoughtfully before tugging on Saki's sleeve. The two of them start whispering to each other in hushed tones. Mrs. Sakamoto takes no notice as she continues to drink her tea.
“I'm sorry,” I say out of reflex. “Were you going to pick him up today?”
“No. He normally takes the car, but I took it today so we could all come down here. He took transit today.”
“Sensei,” Chisato asks, having finished her conversation with Saki. “When was the last time you and your husband were able to spend some time together in the city?”
“Oh my,” the older woman ponders, giving it a few moments before answering. “It's been quite a while.”
“Well...” Saki starts. She looks to Chisato again, who nods for her to continue. “You already showed us the studio today. We were just going to go shopping for a while before we all went back...we'll be fine on our own. If you want, you can go surprise your husband and go have dinner together.”
This catches both myself and the teacher off guard, although I manage to do a better job of hiding it.
“I couldn't do that!” she exclaims, shaking her head. “I brought you all here!”
“Don't worry about it,” Chisato says. “We're down here all the time anyway, we know our way around. We can just take the bus back like we always do.”
Mrs. Sakamoto spends a minute thinking this over. I can tell she's torn between being wanting to go and being the responsible adult.
“I wouldn't want anything to happen to you...” she offers feebly.
“We have Hisao here to protect us,” Saki says with a wink.
I roll my eyes. Yeah, let the guy with the heart problem babysit the three damsels in distress. None of this would help Saki's argument, so I keep my mouth shut.
“If all of you are absolutely sure...”
“It's alright with me,” Saki says.
“It was my idea,” Chisato seconds.
“Go and have a good time!” Noriko says, adding her voice to the chorus of affirmation, causing all four of the other people at the table to look at me expectantly.
Yeah, like I'm really gonna say no at a time like this?
“Well, none of my friends could beat me at Street Fighter. Anyone bothers us, I'll just
hadouken them and we can all run away,” I boast, cupping my hands in front of me in the signature move.
Noriko stifles a giggle while Chisato rolls her eyes.
Huh. Thought that would have gone over better.
The person most receptive to my performance is Mrs. Sakamoto, who's face changes to one of relieved gratitude.
“Alright, I will. And thank you. Don't stay out too late tonight, alright?”
“We'll be back well before curfew,” Saki answers.
Mrs. Sakamoto takes both her billfold and her phone out of her purse, opening the first to pull out a few slips of paper. Noriko moves to object, but the teacher silences her with a stern look.
“No argument. Lunch is on me. But you four are on your own for dinner.”
“Deal,” Chisato says.
“Enjoy your evening,” I say. “And thank you for everything earlier today.”
Mrs. Sakamoto bows lightly, dropping the notes on the table. With one final look of gratitude towards us, she starts to dial numbers on the phone and walk towards the door, leaving the four of us alone. All we can do is watch her for a few seconds, her posture and movements reflecting the happy mood that she's in.
“I hope I'm like that when I'm her age,” Noriko muses.
“Me too,” Chisato agrees.
A sad look flashes for an instant across Saki's eyes as she gives a small smile. “I'm sure you will be.” The corners of her mouth curl up into a more sarcastic grin. “If you can find someone to put up with you, that is.”
“Which one of us has a boyfriend again?” Chisato instantly fires back.
“How long have you been going out with Mitsuru? Three months?” Saki banters.
“Three and a half. That's an eternity for a high school relationship. Besides,
Maeda-”
“Finish that sentence and they'll never find your body.”
“Honestly,” the dark haired girl continues teasing. “What you saw in him I'll never guess.”
“Okay, I lied. They may find your body. Parts of it, anyway. But they'll never find the whole thing.”
“Oh lighten up. It's not like my track record is any better,” Chisato reassures, taking a second to shudder, no doubt reliving some of her own bad memories regarding the opposite sex. She suddenly turns her attention to me. “What about you, Hisao? Any ex girlfriends we can gossip about so we all feel better together?”
Did I notice earlier that these chairs were really uncomfortable? I think I did, but I can't remember. These chairs are
really uncomfortable.
“No, not really,” I say, trying to diffuse the question but realizing too late that answer gives the completely opposite reaction.
“No ex girlfriends at all?” Chisato asks me, her eyebrows raising like the pitch of her voice to signal her disbelief. “Don't tell me you've never had a girlfriend!”
Saki and Noriko are both looking at me now, with more interest than when Chisato posed her first question to me.
“No,” I sigh. “There was someone that might have been, but...circumstances,” I finish a little more bitterly than I intended. I pick up my cup of coffee and take a long drink, hoping that my tone and body language will signal how much I really don't want to continue this line of questioning.
It works.
“Meh, life happens,” Chisato says, dropping the subject. “If everyone's finished, can we go get my ice cream now?”
“Shouldn't you test your blood sugar?” Noriko asks, concerned.
“Tested it in the bathroom when we first got here,” Chisato answers. I imagine it would probably be natural to do so, since unrolling the kit can draw quite a bit of attention. “Right where it should be.”
“You're not going to force us to try some of that sugar-free crap you call ice cream, are you?” Saki shudders. “I'm sorry, but I'd rather eat no ice cream than have to try that disgusting stuff again.”
“Oh come on, it isn't that bad,” Chisato taunts, while standing up and pushing in her chair.
“The last time you said I should try it, I did, and I couldn't get the taste out of my mouth for hours.”
“I happen to like the taste.”
Saki laughs. “I think I just figured out why your cooking is so bad.”
“Stop changing the subject,” Chisato pouts. “Ice cream. Then shopping.”
“On the second, we agree,” Saki affirms, taking her cane in hand and using it to help lever herself to a standing position. “Noriko, was there anything you wanted to get today?”
“Not really. I know I want to buy something, but I don't know what.”
“Oh,” Saki exclaims, holding her hand over her heart in a completely dramatic fashion. “I feel your pain! That's one of the worst feelings to have.”
“I'm good with anything, as long as we can stop by a department store,” I offer. “Something cheap and that also sells fishtank supplies.”
“Maybe not the same store,” Saki states, “but we should have no problem finding either of those.”
Of the four of us, those that haven't already stood do so now. I stretch while the girls adjust their purses to more comfortable positions on their shoulders and hips.
“The ice cream shop is only a few blocks over,” Chisato says as soon as we step out into the bright afternoon sun. The air smells clean and invigorating.
“The sooner we fill you full of chemicals the sooner I can be trying on new swimsuits,” Saki laughs. “Alright, let's go.”
And with that, the four of us start heading towards the shopping district and the second half of our day.
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