It's Not a Date!

[Fuukami I. Iryna]

Saturday, 17th May
4:15 pm

Haaaah. That was sooooo great!

I've never been this satisfied after training before. Such a strange but pleasant feeling. As if I'm on the top of the world, and nobody, not even the ponytailed brunette, can stop me. I couldn't stop humming my favorite songs during my routine shower. I really am a genius to make him come here. He was like a catalyst, which enhanced my abilities to a new level. Or it might just be a boost of confidence, but a huge one nonetheless. Anyway, it worked out even better than I expected.

And it was probably the first time I have seen my rival left early like that. She is always one of the hardest-working athletes in the rink. Hah, did she get cold feet after seeing my sublime performance? Or too jealous? Whatever the reason, all that's left was a clichéd line like "You'll remember this", and I would have died laughing. It's a shame that she didn't ask what kind of relationship I have with Ayumu. I would have declared him my boyfriend as payback for that... smooching incident in the cafeteria.

So, since I'm in a very good mood today, let's get some parfait to celebrate. I happen to know a café in the shopping district from the girls in my class, where they have very nice ice-cream-based items on the menu. Now I really have to try it out.

About him... well, I don't know if he likes parfait, or sweets in general, even though I heard that most boys are not fond of them. Well, at least I can find out when we are there.

After changing into my casual clothes (white blouse, navy blue skirt, jacket and kneesocks), I dash to the stadium's gate, where I told my sidekick to standby. I call out to him, wanting to reach the café as soon as we can: "Hey, Ayumu, let's go!"

[Mizukami Ayumu]

OC: Sorry if it's a bit iffy, it's a bit of a brain fart. Do we continue or end the thread before this?

Ah, never mind. Let's just see what would happen.

He was waiting for her. At this point the Mizukami was feeling particularly dispassionate. He had done a rollercoaster of emotions (standing out among these were paranoia and confusion...) that he almost felt like he could do anymore, even if the scenario called for him to do so. He sighed, resigning himself to his fate.

Perhaps if he hadn't thought about it so much, over and over, he might even be able to enjoy Fuukami-san's demands, but the black-haired trickster (he really should have asked for her name, it was annoying calling her like that in his brain, it almost sounded like he was praising her) and her piercing comments made him consider something he had not noticed... or perhaps, something he had refused to notice.

(He felt like giving Fujibayashi Ryou more of his money, even though part of her fortune was exactly the opposite... since it was a pain doing nothing to change the situation.)

He heard her voice, and turned around. She had changed attire... well, obviously, since people would probably look at you funny if you came out wearing tights in this place... she looks good... I won't even bother getting disturbed by these observations of mine... and she called me by my first name... although I guess she has called me that before... perhaps I just didn't notice... or I didn't pay attention... agh, I'm repeating myself.

At the very least he hoped he didn't look as distraught as he felt. His expression was as normal as he was used to; he was... dispassionate and distraught at the same time. The distraught was a dull sort of distraught; hopefully that was a good enough explanation.

So, with a slight frown, he regarded his companion, as he had done before. He walked briskly, following her. The time for thoughts was over... although he still probably wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it... but now he had to act. He instinctively tapped the 'package' he had brought in his bag.

"Where to?"

[Fuukami I. Iryna]

"Where to?" That's easy.  Just follow me and you'll be there. But well, he deserves to know the details nonetheless.

"To a cafe, where we can eat, drink and talk." I reply, delight still dripping from my voice. I proceed to skip cheerfully to the nearest bus station, while calling out to him to catch up.

It's Saturday, so there's more people taking the bus than the other days. Thankfully, there's still enough breathing space for me and him. Still, we were... a bit too close. Just a centimetre or two between us. If the bus brakes or change direction suddenly, I'll end up hugging him again like when we met in that rainy day. Just that memory alone makes my hearts goes into overdrive, to the point that I can feel the force of my life essence flowing through every single veins. And... I can smell him, the scent not unlike that day. Wait a minute, is this what people call... a date? No, no, that's not it. It's not a date, it's DEFINITELY not a date. It's just a... meeting. Yes. And he has some business to discuss with me after all. That's right.

Thankfully, I manage to notice our stop just in time, and beckon him to follow me once the exit is open. I let out a deep sigh after coming out. If that situation had lasted any longer, I would have tried to consult a cardiologist.

I notice our destination right away, which is situated on the corner straight ahead. Nice. If the items are good enough, I'll consider coming to this area more often. I beckon him again, showing him the cafe's sign, then run off, telling him to catch up.

[Mizukami Ayumu]

Quo vadis, quo vadis. My execution grounds are a parfait cafe.

Easily he closed the distance between them, even as she moved forward and he lagged just a bit, and then he would lag a little again, conscious of the nearness. He had never despised public transportation before this moment. He had even liked buses, specially the ones that zoomed about lanes before dawn when they had yet little competition... the speed had exhilarated him. Now speed... would probably yield a similar mess as that... sometime ago.

(It was not that he disliked it... he disliked it because he did not know if he liked it or not.)

A sigh of relief... perhaps not yet the last... escaped the lips of the white-haired youth, when they had finally reached their destination, thankfully without incident. He shook his head, as if doing so would shake the dizziness that had clotted in his psyche. She's really prepared, huh. Going all the way here...

So, what shall it be, my rose-tinted executioner?

[Fuukami I. Iryna]

Alright, this is the place. "Lunar Cafe". 

The place is not so large, but the interior is very nice. I always have a thing for wooden decor. Papa bought lots of them for our mansion, too.

After being shown to our seats, which is right next to a large window, I eagerly check the menu out, and hand the other copy of the menu to my male companion, asking him to order whatever he likes. There are really plenty of choices, just the coffee section alone. I wonder how one can distinguish between one kind of coffee and another, as they are all the same bitter drink to me. Then again, I think it's all about personal preferences.

Oh, something catches my eye. The banana parfait, which is currently in half price. Good, I'll try that out. It's nice to eat like a commoner from time to time.

I take a look at my sidekick, and wonder what the other customers and passersby think by looking at us... A boy and a girl sitting in a cafe like this... It can be very troublesome if someone I know, or he knows, come by.

[Mizukami Ayumu]

"Lunar Cafe", huh? It sounds... quaint.

But one does not judge books by their covers... or shops by their names... or petite pink-haired girls by their attitudes. Besides, if he was going for a more accurate metaphor, the place looked homey enough from the outside, small but tasteful, even if how it called itself was a bit... tacky.

Once Ayumu entered, he found the interior very similar to the exterior, and that was good; the place's decorations and furniture were made with wood, and there was a welcoming feel, an ambiance, per se. Or perhaps he was over-assessing the architecture and interior design of a very simple cafe just so that he would stop thinking about a certain person who was with him right now and was towing him like a car who had not parked in an inappropriate place.

Then again, he had parked of his own volition. He had wanted to make things clear with this tower... oh, both senses of the word, although with one sense she might not be as statuesque... of his. Fun with words. Yet another very useful distraction.

The Mizukami, with the slightest of nods, acknowledged his... (what do you call a person you were a... sidekick to? A heroine? That term was a bit damning...) friend, as he accepted the other copy of the menu. He had never had parfaits before, though he had heard of them plenty, all right, and he was eager to try one, since he had heard some praises for them... yet another convenient distraction.

And so for a while he assessed the menu, postponing the inevitable, mostly picking out which fruit flavor he would like the best... the banana one was nostalgic, bananas were rather common in his other country, and to top it off it was cheap... but he liked mangoes too, and strawberries, and there was the saying 'familiarity breeds contempt'...

...would that apply to relationships as well, since he was more familiar with Furukawa-senpai? Then again, he wasn't that well acquainted yet, and relationships required a certain degree of familiarity, and perhaps the adage did not apply with relationships, and perhaps he would not choose Fuukami-san over Furukawa-senpai... wait, he was the one who was going to choose, right?

"Ugh."

He scratched his head, and in so doing, frizzled his hair, in slight frustration. So much for distractions. It was nice that casual observers, hopefully including Fuukami-san, would just think he was conflicted over a choice of dessert.

More than being concerned of how the two of them looked together, Ayumu was more concerned if the girl thought of them as together... he would have to confirm an answer that was already confirmed in other ways besides verbal... and then... he would have to do something about it.

"I guess I'll take a strawberry parfait." he muttered.

Then, more audibly, he posed the question that he both dreaded and hoped would move the conversation his way.

"Do you read manga?"

I envy the Fool who does not see that the path he has taken leads to a sharp-ending cliff.

[Fuukami I. Iryna]

Hmm? Is he having problems choosing? Well, it's OK to me. It's probably his first time here, after all. I'm fine even if he just settle with coffee or a soft drink, as long as we are together like this... Wait, what am I thinking? It sounds like I really want this to be a date! It's just... business. I have seen people talking about business in restaurants or cafes like this on TV, so it's a normal thing, right?

Just as I'm ready to order and waiting for my companion to decide, instead of confirming his choice, he asks me a question. "Do you read manga?"

Do I read manga? Well, yes. It's a part of teen culture in Japan, right? Does he think I don't read manga because of my upbringing? That I prefer more "high-class" stuff? I have some manga series at home. Mostly shoujo, due to the smooth art style. One of my favorites is about a sweet girl with long black hair and pale skin, who is constantly ridiculed at school as "Sadako", an infamous ghost character. There is also a guy who helps her out. Even though I think the girl is a bit too much of a doormat, having someone devoted to you must be really nice. And I always want to work alone...

"Oh, yes, I do. Not as much as some certain individuals, though". Still, why did he ask that question? Is he a fan of manga and trying to find out whether I have the same hobby? If that's so, then at least that's a way to break the ice. I want to know more about him, but in order to do that, maybe I should let him know a little more about me, too.

Alright, I also have to order.

[/blockquote]

[Mizukami Ayumu]

She... bit the bait.

Belatedly the boy realized that he and she had never had a conversation the likes he was starting right now, before. A discussion about... something. Not about denials and embarrassments and orders and requests. He felt that he might be a little sardonic, but you had to know somebody better before you were sure you liked him, right? Then again, if that line of reasoning was used, I would be one of the guilty, as well. Perhaps he was placing too much faith in words... or perhaps he and Fuukami were both a little too... instinctive.

He did not have any assumptions whether the rich girl read manga or not; it was mostly an introduction. Anybody can enjoy whatever they wanted; he found it silly that people here were sometimes even somewhat ashamed to say that they like reading manga... comic books. Well, there is a rather feral minority in the background whose nature was... distasteful, so perhaps that was partly the reason. For Ayumu, the graphic literature was just as awesome as usual literature; he liked to read. But he had brought this particular volume of manga not because he was sharing his hobbies... but because there was a point, a question, really, that he wanted to pose.

He retrieved it from his bag, gingerly. It was... Shakudan no Sharia, huh?

"This manga... is, well..." How am I supposed to say it? "...something I can relate to, I guess." Close enough. "It's about a girl... " he began, "who is slightly small for her age, yet prodigiously long-haired... and has a... harsh temper."

He breathed; he had pointed some similarities; perhaps he should intersperse some... inane plot tidbits. He handed the paperbound book to the girl, and in a small show of nervousness looked over to the counter to see if their food was coming. Then he continued."She's of this ruling caste in this magical kingdom, where she has to keep the peace... and she uses a pair of guns... and a sword... and fire..."

Perhaps he was sounding silly, or perhaps even like that token minority, the otaku. But he did get entrenched with whatever he read, manga or not. Being entrenched in something is no excuse for getting your storytelling all over the place, Ayumu. Maybe you should have written this beforehand. "Anyway, there's this boy who she gets as a bodyguard, though she calls her a... servant. And whenever this boy makes... err... mistakes... she punishes him..." I'm getting nowhere real fast. But... can I afford to be direct? Even with the supposed allusion to a fictional story? "However, when he does get things right, she acts really... different, and really nice... as if she likes him..."

"You see, Fuukami... this girl is an example of a tsundere... like... what your classmate said."

Too direct.

The words were out of his mouth, so sorry for him. He wondered how she would react to his treatise, if she would check the pages of the tankoubon, if she would act like when he had been ordering ramen...

Fire in the hole.

[Fuukami I. Iryna]

Hmm? Is he trying to introduce a new manga series to me? Ok, I guess. I'm all ears.

So, according to him, the female lead is a small-looking girl with long hair and comes from an aristocratic family. Is he trying to compare her to me? Well, that character looks a bit too familiar, I guess. I don't think of myself having a harsh temper, like my rival, but... things sometimes get out of hand.

The girl, as he described, has a bodyguard of sorts, whom she has a weird relationship with. She tends to punish that guy a lot, but somehow shows a soft spot to him... Well, even though that situation has some similarities to my own, I don't really want to... "punish" him or anything. He's my sidekick, so... his well-being is one of my concerns.

So he concludes that the girl is a "tsundere", like what the brunette once called me. Is a tsundere a girl who are both "spicy" and "sweet" to her... love interest? I ask him to borrow the comic book, then have a closer look.

So... the heroine really likes to push her partner around, recklessly using her flame-powered weapons to chase him when she thinks he does something wrong, like "being to close" with another girl. Even though she becomes demure like a cute kitten when he does something that pleases her, like giving her compliments or saving her from mortal danger. Is that what a tsundere is like? I'm not sure whether I'm one, but... I think I know a person who definitely is.

"Um, well, thanks for the book and the explanation. I understand that you see some of my characteristics in the female lead, but... her personality, which you said to be "tsundere", is not much like mine, but like a certain someone I'm rather... close with. Remember the one with a ponytail who trained with me earlier?"

Since I've won today, it'll be enjoyable to make fun of my rival alongside someone else.

[Mizukami Ayumu]

Well... I guess I am not surprised by this sort of outcome...

It seemed she missed the point; it was not important, actually, how many of the external characteristics matched with Fuukami-san's very own (although, eerily, the Mizukami noted that she had many of those... forget 'some', she literally hit the head with certain descriptions... the boy was rather sure he could imagine her in the place of the protagonist). She coolly brushed off the similarities, and pointed out that she was different; there were differences all right... certain things have been thankfully toned down: if Sharia were in the place of Fuukami right now, she would have denied, violently with matching blazing weaponry, the veiled allegation that she liked him... or perhaps he was actually still too subtle.

Still, he had some more of this encounter to... explain, or even just to get the idea into her thick head. He was a bit clueless on what to do now, now that he had played his trump; it would have been far more reassuring, from a tactical sort of view, if she got what he was implying, and simply exploded, (metaphorically, of course), even if it was a bit problematic for a self-preserving sort of view.

"Aizawa-san? ...how is that so?"

With her denial of her tsundere-ness came her accusation that it was... the other skater who actually fell into, and followed, that paradigm. He... well, there must be a certain person that the tsundere must be dere with... and he was clueless about just who exactly would that be... he was not that well acquainted with her barring the fact that he was a good upperclassman friend's cousin. Unwittingly Ayumu might just be getting dragged into the fabled act of gossiping.

Besides making chatter about Fuukami-san's rival... (and taking everything with a grain of salt, considering their relationship) he guessed he would try again. To... confirm. He had a feeling he would be making several of these attempts... it was tempting to just say it outright, but he had yet to muster the brazen courage... perhaps the frustration of repeated failures would give him just that...

"Anou... maybe you could look at page thirteen..."

That part of Shakudan's story was when the heroine felt that she was powerless, and unable to live up to the responsibilities vested upon her... and so she turns to the boy for comfort... disturbingly like that day in the rain... He wondered if he should say anything more. He was at the edge of his seat... and this was not even supposed to be a suspense thriller.

[Fuukami I. Iryna]

"Oh, you know her?" I can't help but wonder how he actually met my sworn rival, but try to mask it with a casual question. "She is rather well-known among us both as a star player, and a hothead." She has such homicidal tendencies just like the heroine of this manga, and I can imagine her chasing a guy around with any kind of weaponry, especially her skates.

Then, my companion asks me to turn to a certain page. Is there anything he hasn't shown me?

I turn to the page as requested, and a huge scene which cover the whole area of two pages appear before me. The heroine, with a tearful face, is hugging her bodyguard, while the scenery cries along with her. The guy hugs her back, while not saying anything. They just stand there on the plains, and stay close to each other, despite not having any sort of umbrella.

This... I don't know what to say about this. What does my sidekick want to do, trying to show me this scene? It's... just too much like that rainy day, when I just clung to him without a second thought. I can feel the rush of heat and pressure in my face again, and decide to keep my eyes on the black-and-white drawings for now.

I turn to the pages before that. It turns out the girl has been been betrayed by a guy whom she used to admire. That treacherous character used to train together with her, and induced quite a crush from her. But he has gone rogue and secretly plans to destroy the entire world, while maintaining a "good guy" facade to his fellow citizens, and tries to make his former junior his wife (i.e. his possession) to take advantage of her status and her bloodline's innate powers. So, in short, the heroine becomes such a mess after discovering her former senpai has become such an evil overlord. She has narrowly escaped from his goons, with her bodyguard's timely intervention, and here they are.

Still, that kind of revelation is shocking enough for any girl in her situation, and the way her eyes are drawn, they are just... empty, devoid of hope. I wonder whether I looked like that back then. But I have to continue the conversation, or it's going to get even more awkward.

"Um..." I peer up from the comic book. "It's... it's a very touching scene... But... why do you want to show it to me? Is it one of your favorite moments? Or... do you really see me... in her? In that scene?"

[Mizukami Ayumu]

"Uh... no... I mean..."

Perhaps Fuukami-san was not as much of a tsundere as he had thought, as her classmate had implied... or it was merely a facet of her; after all, a word cannot encapsulate the nature of a person. It seemed... perhaps he did not have to make so many attempts to get to her, after all, as he had thought, but... well... Mizukami Ayumu was unsure how to handle her in this rational state. His encounters with her had always been... emotional; this was different... he should have foreseen this.

"...um... perhaps... a bit." he confirmed, changing his answer, a little unsteadily, a little unsure, of how to proceed.

He knew he had to be clear, but it was... not that he had reached this point... embarrassing; even if he had thought and thought about it. It still seemed alien to him... somebody liking him. Granted, he had not thought of it as impossible... it simply had not occurred to him.

He wondered how he could tell it... or if she would pick it up... that it was the male, the one that she had brazenly called her servant, which she sought refuge in... that despite all the labels... he was the person she cared for a lot. Granted, the situation wasn't an exact replica, there were no first loves and plots of evil and magical powers... but what he was emphasizing was the relationship between the bodyguard and the heroine... if she did not understand, perhaps he will have to... push... again.

He felt exceedingly awkward.

"Uh... and Aizawa-san is a cousin of an upperclassman friend..." he muttered, as if that statement would ease the viscous feelings from his chest.

[Fuukami I. Iryna]

A bit? So he does see me in the heroine. I'm not sure how to react to that statement. I'm still red as a tomato, but why do I feel rather... delighted? The character looks like me, but acts more like my rival. Is it because he was thinking of me when reading that? Whatever the case, I feel he has been closer to me now. It's a good thing, isn't it? I'll probably want to read that manga series more.

About my rival, he said she had a cousin, who is a senpai to my sidekick. I'm not sure who he is, even though I might have met him before, as I have seen that girl talking to a third-year male student on one occasion. If that's the case, then I don't have anything to worry about... right? He probably doesn't know her much... and, I suddenly remember, she still has that boy toy, even though I'm totally confused about their relationship...

"Ayumu, I'd like to read this series more. It looks interesting. Thanks for showing me." At least I have to thank him for lending me the book. "Maybe... if you like, we can go to a manga café next time... I'd never been to one before. You can show me more manga there."

W-What am I thinking? Requesting another meeting out of the blue like that? While the current one is not over yet? Is it because I'm more curious in this kind of paper media? Or... do I really like his company that much? It really feels like I'm requesting him to go on a... date, now. I have to change the subject.

"Um... Ayumu." I try to make a carefree-looking face. "How was your first trip to the rink? It'd probably been a delightful experience, seeing girls in form-fitting outfits gliding on the ice. You are a boy after all." It's payback time for what he did earlier, making me embarrassed.

[Mizukami Ayumu]

OC: Will the desserts be coming soon? XD

Well... he did not expect her to understand with just a simple agreement. It looked like she was as embarrassed as he (that made him even more embarrassed, although he was trying to minimize the reddening of his face, unlike his counterpart).

She... looks happy, but I don't think she understands why she is. Is there really no other way to do this, besides saying 'Do you like me, Fuukami-san?' I have no pointers for this... because I haven't read about any character in fiction who have tried this with a tsundere! His inner self shook his head in slight frustration.

"Uh... okay." he shortly replied, upon her thanks for the manga. Although he probably would not have introduced a manga like this, in normal circumstances... some people can be strangely touchy over spoilers, and he had shown her quite the chapter with the plot twist. Still, this was no time to worry about that... but what would be the appropriate next move? How can I be clear yet indirect?

"A manga cafe?" Well, he did like reading, and he did go to those once in a while... but... is she asking me to go out again? It was not a bad idea, but... he had to draw the line somewhere, did he?

But if it was just any other friend, specially one who had habitually entrenched herself in his affairs, it would have been fine for him if he would accompany them to a bookstore, and he would have the usual worries of thinking which manga they would like... come to think of it, if the Trickster had not pointed it out, he would have been fine going along with Fuukami-san's activities...

He frowned. "I'll... think of it." he said, trying to be neutral. "Uh, no, I don't think it is a bad idea..." Fuukami-san... now that he thought about it, she did not seem like somebody who liked to read manga... was she thinking of what he would probably like? Wait... I am being thrown out of focus here...

Then she went for a clincher. If he was not so sure that Fuukami-san had not comprehended the issue he was trying to talk about, he would have accused her of consciously derailing him. Perhaps she was derailing him... from the awkwardness. The feeling was palpable enough.

"It was... all right." The pronouncement would have been sincere, if not for the fact that his annoying brain was conditioned to notice certain things... he tried to draw away from discussing the part about the 'form-fitting'. "Fuukami-san and Aizawa-san were very good."

He was getting nowhere really fast.

[Fuukami I. Iryna]

"Hmm?" I tilt my head playfully. Looks like he has difficulties in trying to respond. Good, I've been embarrassed too many times when I'm with him. I have to make this even. Boys like him surely like to see us girls in outfits that can show off our bodies. It is no surprise that most of beach volleyball spectators are male, and that may apply for my sport, too.

"Hey now, what do you mean, me and Aizawa-san are very good? Very good at what, exactly?" I can't help but sport a grin on my face. I'm actually teasing a boy, and it is more fun than I expected. Tee hee, at least this is more enjoyable exchanging awkward conversations. I can finally enjoy myself in my first outing with a boy my age. It is always better to have pleasant banter during meals, like icing on the cake. Not totally necessary, but always beneficial.

Then our orders arrive. My parfait looks pleasant enough: slices of banana on the white surface of fresh vanilla ice cream, with sprinkles of chocolate. His order looks delicious too, with the small strawberries beautifully arranged. I utter the obligatory phrase, then dig in. The taste... is really something. The light sweetness and smoothness of ice cream combine with the unique texture of banana alongside the rich chocolate prove themselves to be a very nice combination. After indulging myself for a while, and the glass is nearly empty, I decide to proceed with backing him into a corner.

"Hey, Ayumu, after seeing me and Aizawa-san..." I try to put on the most mischievous expression I can think of, but somehow I can feel a bit of heat in my face. "Which one of us looks... more stunning?" Oh, come on, Iryna-chan, you're the one in charge here, don't get cold feet now!