Sly Devil [Akira & Ayumu]
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Post by Narukami Akira on Jul 21, 2013 21:51:36 GMT -6
29 May 2003 ThursdayThe Westminster chime again.
It's time for lunch. I'll invite Whitey again, just for a chat.
Then something unexpected caught my eye just behind the classroom door.
Oh, now that's something. He is talking to another girl I haven't seen before. This one has her hair tied in pigtails just like Yasuda-san from the other day, but much longer, and with pastel pink color instead of auburn. She's... short, half a head shorter than him, actually. One can mistake her as a middle school student. But that does not decrease her overall charm one bit, at least from my point of view. She has quite a lovely face, even when being seen from a distance. Looks like she's asking him about something.
Then she quickly departs. Now things are getting more interesting. Another cute girl who's acquainted with him. I have to ask him more about the details. Still, there's a feeling that I have seen this girl somewhere before... Not in person, but... Maybe a picture?
I approach Whitey from behind, give him a pat on his shoulder, and ask him with a smile: "Hey, wanna have lunch together?"
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Post by Mizukami Ayumu on Jul 27, 2013 19:27:53 GMT -6
A trip, huh...
This time, he had been saddled with... an invitation. Well, more a reminder; she had told him of this a little earlier. At least this time her ever-watchful fan club was not around, looking at him with eyes literally dripping with disdain. She's the one who's approaching me, idiots, I can't do much about it.
To be honest, trips weren't really Ayumu's thing; well, he did not dislike them, but he did not usually prefer them as something to burn time with. Wandering was not always the same as travelling. He allowed himself to be dragged on the occasional family and school outings, but this...
...it was to be expected from his sort-of-'boss', of course. Fuukami Iryna... she had been, well, he would be lying if he did not say that she had caused him a fair amount of trouble and headache, though admittedly some of that might just be his fault. Besides, attractiveness was not a fault. Yeees. I admit that she is somewhat cute, geez. In a different way from Furukawa-senpai, but still. I still don't get why she has a bunch of males on her twintails, though.
Well, she was a friend, at least that was what they had settled on, mostly, and she was also a little awkward... so maybe he could come. As a friend. And there would be other people too, she said. He could bring some other people too, she said. Maybe that could be a way for her to make friends of the same gender. Still, he was almost as awkward as her, so he did not really know how to go about it...
So is it decided? Are we agreeing to come with her, myself?
"Hey, wanna have lunch together?"
That... jolted him back to reality. Turning around, he found out that it was... Narukami. How long had he been there? He really should be more alert of his surroundings, even when deliberating near-endlessly about the right path to take when dealing with pushy girls who happen to be fragile as well. Not that he disliked doing that. Was he... turning tsundere or something? Did he catch it from Fuukami?
"Ah... Narukami. Lunch? Okay." Terse, and not well thought out, but a meal wasn't as much of a deal as an excursion, wasn't it?
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Post by Narukami Akira on Jul 29, 2013 20:44:59 GMT -6
Nice, caught him by surprise. That's a good start.
Now, to reel him in.
"Good, then." I show Whitey my stack of lunch boxes while keeping a big smile on my face. "I just happened to make a little too much. Trying out a new dish, you know. Besides, I wanted to have boxed lunch together with you once in a while. We can eat together in the courtyard. It's more refreshing there, anyway."
Then I skip ahead, and signal him to follow. Now I can't wait for him to divulge the details about that girl. One can't help but gets curious if a close friend of his somehow gets acquainted to a number of fair maidens. Well, this one may look a bit younger than a maiden, per se, but that appearance of hers definitely has its own charms. Especially her long tails, and slender frame. How can she take care of that enormous volume of hair, I wonder? Its lenghth is probably even longer than Sakagami-san's.
As we reach a vacant bench outside, I decide to settle down here, unstack the boxes and offer him a portion:
"Hope you don't mind my tamagoyaki. I made a little more than expected, so it may taste a bit bland."
Then I decide to get straight to the point:
"Who was that girl you were talking to earlier? I'm just curious, since she's not from our class."
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Post by Mizukami Ayumu on Jul 30, 2013 14:57:42 GMT -6
Ayumu was mostly expecting Akira to lead him to the cafeteria... instead, his sudden comrade, almost like a magician (well, the essence of a magician is to be unexpected), procured a bunch of lunchboxes. "Whoa." the Mizukami interjected. "Didn't expect you to offer me food." He was mostly saying what was on his mind; it was Narukami, after all. "I thought that was something girlfriends do for their boyfriends." he tacked on, a little humorously. Yes, yes, he said he made too much, he was just teasing... perhaps a little preemptively...
He yawned, covering his mouth hastily with a free hand. Wow, it's been a while since I last did that. "Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against free food." he continued.
This made him remember... Yasuda-san. She would probably have a more enthusiastic reaction to Akira's little 'ta-da bento'... said reaction containing the vanquishing of the contents of said 'bento'. It almost wasn't funny that it was actually feasible that she would accidentally consume Akira's portion too... he shook his head, he shouldn't stereotype an acquaintance on one rather overt quirk. Maybe he should do an experiment? But he didn't know how to cook... "You made this, Narukami?" he belatedly realized.
"Like I said, free food is always welcome. Thank you for the food." he declared, both as gratitude to Narukami, and as the usual for before meals. He fished for a pair of chopsticks, separated them with a bit of difficulty, and clasped his hands together for a moment. "Eeh, as long as it's edible." he said, in response to Akira's note. Eggs were eggs; they weren't always required to be tasty. They'll be all right with something else...
"Who was that girl you were talking to earlier?
He looked up from the food to his gracious host, then back to the food after a second. "Hrm... she's... Fuukami-san. Heard she was a bit popular or something." Implication: you haven't heard of her? That's okay, dude, I haven't heard of her either before she bowled me over. "She's a friend. Curious, huh?" He wondered how opportune it was that he was thinking of Yasuda-san just now (well, anyone having seen her eat would probably connect the memory of her with the idea of food). "Don't tell me you invited me for lunch just to ask that." he joked, yet again. As he had thought before, Narukami wasn't someone exceedingly interesting... but he was nice to talk with.
If he wanted to know more about Fuukami-san, he'll humor him. Maybe he can poke fun again with him liking her or something, like that time in the meat restaurant...
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Post by Narukami Akira on Jul 30, 2013 22:12:26 GMT -6
"I thought that was something girlfriends do for their boyfriends." Don't make it sounds so awkward, man. Everyone has the right to treat someone for lunch, one way for another. Even though he had a point, since it's rather common in TV shows that girls offer their lunch boxes to boys.
I murmur a quick "Itadakimasu" then grab my first piece of tamagoyaki, while waiting for Whitey's answer. Ok, it tastes like egg, fortunately. And easy to swallow, just like how egg dishes should be. In other words: edible.
Then he reveals the girl's name: Fuukami. And she's supposed to be quite popular in school. Well, with her doll-like face, there gotta be some guys who are interested in her. I can imagine her in a gothic lolita dress. She's a friend of Whitey's? Ok, alright. Still, having a cute female friend like her can make many other guys jealous, definitely.
"Well, you can say it's part of the reason." I response to his insinuation about the purpose behind his free meal. Well, yes, it's a primary reason. "But I already intended to invite you anyway. It's just a matter of... convenience."
Wait a minute, Fuukami? Fuukami, petite, pink hair with twintails...
HUH??!!!
I get caught in a revelation so suddenly that I nearly choke on a piece of onion in my rice.
That Fuukami?
Now I know where I have seen her before! On a magazine! She was in a photoshoot section.
Fuukami Iryna. The elegant ice princess (that's what the article called her). Daughter of the current chairman of Fuukami Group with a former Russian figure skater. Despite only winning a few titles so far, she has come very close to many others. The contents of that descriptive article keeps flowing into my head. Oh my, the slender girl who was posing in brand new sports clothes in those photos... Whitey knows her??? I thought she was just another cute girl at school when I saw her a little while ago, but... she turns out to be quite a star. Different than Sakagami-san, but a star nonetheless.
Now even I feel a little bit jealous.
I take a big gulp, and look at Whitey with an expression of amazement that I think only anime characters are capable to do, then asks him again to confirm the facts:
"Fuukami? Is her given name Iryna, by any chance? If that's really her, you already befriended one hell of a girl."
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Post by Mizukami Ayumu on Aug 1, 2013 7:37:17 GMT -6
While Narukami was usually rather... well, it would be bad manners to say his demeanor was bland... more, erm, level with his reactions, it seemed his mind had reached something that made him react more... vividly.
Ooooh. So he does know who she is. This is somewhat interesting to watch, at least for the moment. I wonder what would have happened if he was in the middle of a drink.
Mizukami Ayumu kept one eye on his companion should the choking become serious (and, well, he would be lying if he did not say he was partially entertained, given away by a slight twitch at the side of his mouth), while the other eye aided his hands in fishing out some rice, and then some viand. Omnomnom. Narukami wasn't a bad cook, even if he was not an exceptional one. He'll just have to train a little more for Yasuda-san... kidding.
I guess I really am a bit out of touch with those sort of things. Not that I mind. Good for Fuukami-san, then... though fame is not something I am particularly comfortable with. Still, some people rate that as positive, so...
"One hell of a girl? Well, she does have some of those..." Okay, maybe it would be cruel to call them creepy, since he himself does come off as creepy at times... "...she has these... fanboys? Who pop up around her from time to time..." he considered.
"You say befriend..." Well, but it was more like conscription at first... and it was unlike anything else that had ever stared me at the face so I went along with it, and it lead to all these sorts of situations that seemed both appropriate and out of place and altogether confusing... "...well, but it was more like... Demanded remuneration for a collision... that might be a little awkward... "...she befriended me, or something."
Yeah, let's go with that.
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Post by Narukami Akira on Aug 1, 2013 21:02:42 GMT -6
Fanboys who keep popping up from time to time. Well, that figures. Just like in anime and manga, characters who are exceptional and celebrities tend to have a group of admirers following them around: the "instant fan-club", i.e. a bunch of people who appear out of nowhere like mushrooms after torrential rain. Usually used as an comedic example of zealots, fanatics, whatever you call it. I guess that is part of the price of fame, and why movie stars and such tend to have bodyguards around them. I wonder how Fuukami-san can cope with that. It must be stressful for a delicate-looking girl like her, even though sports probably have made her stronger, somewhat. If I see her being in danger somewhere, I will jump in to rescue her, especially because I can stand seeing lovely maidens in distress. But of course, I have to make sure that there are no filming equipment nearby, or I will injure an innocent instead.
Then Whitey's next statement kinda confuses me. She befriended him, "or something"? What exactly does that mean? So she was the one who took the lead, or something like that? Knowing Whitey, though, he's not the type to muddle his statements on purpose, so it may be quite a long story. Hmm, OK. It's getting even more interesting. I mean, just how probable it is for a cute half-Western girl to approach you, let alone a quite well-known one?
I decide to continue our conversation after chewing another so-so piece of tamagoyaki:
"So she befriended you? And from the way it seems, she's probably even closer to you than Yasuda-san from before. Some may even think that she's your girlfriend. Looks like cute girls just come to you, eh?" I can't help but smile at the last statement. "What exactly is she like? You know, her personality, and such."
Looks like Whitey and I are even in that we have both managed to get close to celebrities.
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Post by Mizukami Ayumu on Aug 3, 2013 22:51:44 GMT -6
The white-haired sophomore's eyebrow twitched.
"Some... some might even think that? How... how so?" he stumbled about. "Well, they are cute, but..." he managed to continue, only to stop again, not capable of refuting the seemingly lighthearted statement. True, Yasuda-san and Fuukami-san had their quirks, but that hardly was a deterrent... sometimes it even accented their... agh, what was he thinking?
For once, in their verbal jousting, Akira had managed to make him flinch. Girlfriend... that, or something very close to it, had been at the center of the fiasco that he had had to unravel recently regarding Fuukami-san... and he was not even sure if all that was truly gone; the shadow of that apprehension still seemed to linger around in his thoughts from time to time.
She had denied it... denied that she liked him that very, very specific way... but her actions... and well, she admitted it too... she found him special, for some vague reason or another. Of course, the girl probably was lonely at the top. The reality under the shifting facades was hard to perceive. He sighed. Sometimes he even felt that Fuukami was not sure what she really felt... who she really is.
And now she is inviting me on a trip. Like every prelude to every event she had lead me, which almost always was just herself and I. She did say, this time, that there would be other people... and that I could invite other people too. Not that I would know who to invite...
He looked at Akira. He was prying, but that was not something Ayumu found unpleasant; after all, at times, he felt the impulse of curiosity, too. He could answer him, too... the question only was how to.
"She's nice... well, she's pushy, though not always necessarily in a bad way..." he trailed off, placing a finger on his chin as he edited what was to come out of his mouth. "...she can be a bit awkward, and she really needs more friends. Preferably female." Urk, that sounded like an exceedingly nebulous diagnosis. Like a cross between the statements of a fortuneteller and a doctor.
"Haa... well, it is... she is... hard to explain. Maybe you can go meet her yourself." Ayumu suggested. "Truth is, that you saw a while ago, she was reminding me that she was inviting me to a trip in Okinawa... she said I could bring my friends or something..."
He let the statement hang in the air as he sorted out his thoughts, waiting for what Narukami would say, how he would react, to his implied proposition... he wasn't even sure he would say yes to Fuukami-san, even...
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Post by Narukami Akira on Aug 4, 2013 21:37:36 GMT -6
Looks like the word "girlfriend" hit a nerve. Nice. Somehow I just like to enjoy the sight of strong-minded people being caught off-guard. Maybe because they tend to give rarely-seen reactions being that way.
Pushy? Alright. It's not strange to find rich girls like Fuukami being like that, since they tend to get their way. But Whitey says it's not necessarily bad... Intriguing. Now I wonder what that girl has done to him.
Awkward, and in need of friends... Yes, another problem commonly associated with children born in wealthy families. Isolated from the common life, lonely at the top. Furthermore, her father is a bigshot businessman, hence I can assume that most people who are in contact with her family are just those who are related to the chairman's work. Those who only care about money, connections and fame. Being in that state, Fuukami-san needing some peers whom she can share her feelings with is not difficult to comprehend. It must be even harder for her now, as she has already accumulated more fame on her own.
Still, I wonder how have they managed to get along?
And then Whitey reveals some very interesting information.
A trip. She was inviting him to go on a trip with her. To Okinawa, even. An awesome tourist destination. Especially the seas. I'd like to go there once I have a chance.
"You sly devil, you." I can't help but utter that phrase while nudging him with my right elbow. "You have already gotten to that stage? Even if she's not your girlfriend, that still means she'd like to enjoy your company. I wish a cute girl could ask me that, too. And it's a trip to the sea, to boot. You can enjoy the sight of her in swimsuits. Ahaha, just kidding."
Then another detail strikes the back of my head.
"Wait a minute, she said you could invite your friends along? That's generous of her... But, just asking, am I qualified to be your 'friend'?"
When was the last time I utter a half-hopeful, half-joking question like that? Still, this may be a chance in a lifetime. A trip to a beautiful place I have never been to before, and as a guest to boot.
One will not know what happens if he does not try, right?
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Post by Mizukami Ayumu on Aug 6, 2013 15:40:35 GMT -6
"Haa..."
"You didn't really answer my question, huh... about why people would think she was my... erm... you-know-what." he muttered, with slight indignation.
Get flatfooted the one time, flatfooted the rest. Almost like those juggles in those fighting games. Once you're sent into the air, you're into a world of pain. Well, at least Narukami was a little merciful.
Sly devil? "I'm nothing of the sort." uttered the boy, brushing off the twisted compliment, sorting out the tangles of his irritation. "What are these stages you're talking about, anyway?" he queried, half rhetorically; he already had a bit of an idea what his lunchmate would say...
(If this was a visual novel or an adaptation of one, Narukami would just need to tweak his personality a little more and he'd be the annoying side character who eggs the protagonist on regarding the cute women in the school... wait, did he just think of himself as the protagonist? That might be too presumptuous... wait, did he just say swimsuits? Agh.)
"Anyway!" he said, in a rare emphasis, both to somehow return the flow of the conversation to his side, and to straighten his demeanor and his state of mind. He had been rattled over how people could have viewed the two of them, Fuukami and he, not just the flocking fans (which may or may not be terribly rational) but also an acquaintance and a bystander.
"...I'm not even sure about going, trips... well, I'm not always in the mood for them..." ...and this'll probably be full of strangers, if Fuukami-san's not lying... or maybe I'm ballooning the situation too much...
"Eeh... why not? A friend is a friend." commented Ayumu, feeling a little awkward. Sure, one made friends, but it wasn't every day that somebody asked you if you were officially friends, even if it was for the reason of qualifying to meet a celebrity. Annoying ulterior motives. "I've even half a mind to have you take my place, but Fuukami probably wouldn't want that..." he proposed, jokingly...
...there were times that jokes were half-meant.
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Post by Narukami Akira on Aug 6, 2013 21:23:32 GMT -6
"Well, the 'stages' are just a metaphor. I mean she feels you are already close enough to her to be invited like that, you know. Hence you must have made some progress." As he actually asked about what those "stages" meant, I have to explain them to him, just for clarity's sake, though he should already have a clue. "And of course, people can assume lots of things these days, especially when seeing a guy and a girl together. So when somebody see you guys together... yeah."
At least Whitey also sees me as a friend. I'm actually relieved that he said so, even though I'm still not sure what type of friend he classifies me as. Well, that's the first step nonetheless.
"Thanks for saying I'm your friend". I really should express my gratitude. "Anyway," I fish out the last contents of my lunch box. "You really should go. She went out of her way to invite you like that, it must means she's really expecting you to come along. I'm just a stranger to her, so there's no way I can 'replace' you, you know. Besides, why not going, when you can enjoy a vacation in the beautiful southern islands as a guest? She's even generous enough to let you invite others. It would be bad to reject her, right?" Then another light bulb lights up in my head. "And, maybe you can invite Yasuda-san along? She will be the life of the party."
I know that bubbly redhead will accept the invitation right away the moment we tell her about it. Let's just get Whitey into the mood first.
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Post by Mizukami Ayumu on Aug 10, 2013 22:00:20 GMT -6
Oooh, he can talk a lot when prompted. Same goes for me, though.
"Do people really have to assume that a girl talking to a guy makes a couple?" Ayumu aired his thoughts, but the question was mostly rhetorical. He sighed... well, he could somewhat understand, though, although he was not entirely sure he wanted to.
Progress, huh? Well, he did let her string him around a bunch of times... he did not do those with the specific goal of such progress in mind... he did not even think of any specific goal at all; she asked, and it did not seem terribly difficult, and... maybe he did have to understand, even if he did not want to.
"You have a point." he admitted. Actually.. he knew that already, it was just something that he did not want to admit. She had... always... asked, with him in mind. Perhaps that was the source of hesitation; he did not favor trips, that was true, but he did not hold any special dislike of them. "Like I said, I'm not really into trips, islands or otherwise... but when you put it that way, she is expecting me... and it is not like I have anything else in the meantime... I guess I'll tell her the next time I see her."
Hopefully it won't be too much of a drag. Well... Fuukami-san is there... and... "Yasuda-san? Oooh, I hadn't thought of that." Here Ayumu shifted back to his mild smile from his serious, thoughtful expression awhile ago. "I hope Fuukami-san can handle feeding her..." he jested.
It would be nice if I could invite Furukawa-senpai, but with her condition and... well, our current relations with each other, it might just be... too presumptuous. And so he said no more, for now, waiting for what rational Narukami would bounce off of him.
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Post by Narukami Akira on Aug 11, 2013 9:00:46 GMT -6
"Feed her? Ok, I see your point here, but I'd prefer Yasuda-san taking care of herself. She won't need much help, and it's best not to trouble Fuukami-san unnescessarily. But maybe Yasuda-san can make the trip more enjoyable, as she seems to be full of energy. Besides, the more the merrier. Fuukami-san can make a new female friend."
Looks like Whitey is getting into it, and finally makes up his mind.
Now for my next move.
"Say, you think I can go, too? I have never been to Okinawa before. Besides, maybe you will need some male company during the trip. It may be hard for you to handle Fuukami-san and Yasuda-san at the same time, and not to mention the former's friend, as you said she would bring someone along, too. I can help you. And the girls, too. Besides, I can be the bodyguard." I thump my chest proudly. "My aikido skills can come in handy if anything happens, and a girl like Fuukami-san would require some extra protection."
Did I brag about my martial arts skills a little too much? I probably sounded like a showoff there. Man, this is just like in the movies, where many guys who are skilled at fighting like to show their confidence in a bombastic way. Hope I did not look too assertive to Whitey.
Still, why not grab this chance, a trip to the beautiful islands with lovely girls as company, and invited to boot? This feels just like winning a raffle. When luck comes to you, make the most out of it. Luck means nothing if you don't act. Just like being in a competitive fight, where you have to strike the opening of your opponent whenever it appears. This can be the first time I get close to someone whom I see as a model on a magazine. I wonder if Whitey will be interested in those photos?
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Post by Mizukami Ayumu on Aug 13, 2013 23:33:34 GMT -6
"You should have known I was kidding about Yasuda-san, geez." remarked the student, amused at what Narukami had decided to pick on in what he said. And there was much more to be amused on, as his companion continued to declaim.
"I thought I was the one asking you to go, and the only problem was that I did not want to go." observed Ayumu, smiling; a little more and he might have managed to gain the expression of a cat, deriving entertainment from the fussing of its master.
While unexpected things did happen when he was around with Fuukami-san, well, it was not like they've run into a hostage situation or anything, although now that he thought about it, rich people do get kidnapped sometimes, do they? Well, personal experience versus statistics... Fuukami-san may be somewhat famous, but she only drew a crowd when in school, not in those times when they went to other places. Still, bodyguard, huh? Well, he was a bit of a wimp, so Narukami can go play that part if he wants.
"Obviously you're going. You don't need to submit a resume or something just to join." he continued, jokingly.
Still, Narukami would be there, first and foremost, as a friend. He was coming for his friends, after all; the company, not the destination. Okinawa did not thrill him, but if it would make Narukami and Fuukami-an happy, then everything was well and good.
"So... is everything settled? And for the record, Narukami, Fuukami-san and I are just friends." He felt like repeating it. Hopefully it was not daring fate or anything.
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Post by Narukami Akira on Aug 14, 2013 20:59:56 GMT -6
"Oh, great. That's great. Thanks. Thanks a lot. Sorry for getting carried away. I still thought it might be even more fun with Yasuda-san around, though."
Now I feel like I've just done something unnecessarily outrageous.
"Alright, we should prepare for the trip. Think of what we need beforehand, then we can be ready once summer comes. I really can't wait. Still, we have to pass the tests first."
I let out a sigh at the last sentence. That's true. Those end-of-term tests decide whether we have to go to supplementary classes during the summer holiday or not. To make sure that we have the most free time available, a passing grade for every subject is a must. Quite a pain here. But... no pain, no gain, right?
"For the time being, let's just think those tests are the obstacles we must surpass before reaching our destination: the beautiful sea. Think of the trip as our prize. This should motivate us enough, right?"
I give Whitey a pat on the back, both as a gesture of appreciation, and a sign of reassurance.
He insists that Fuukami-san is just a friend to him. It's fine, I don't really mind. It's not like I'm trying to push them towards each other. I'm just curious whether they will stay like that. I still think Fuukami-san may see him more than simply a companion, though.
"Sure, whatever you say about her. Want some drink? Oh, right. Almost forgot." I just have an excellent idea. "I have a magazine with photos of Fuukami-san modeling. Wanna see them?" I can't help but sports a big smile on my face, waiting for Whitey's reaction.
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