Life.1[]
Part 1[]
"I'm Akane, Akane Naberius."
Yep, I was still standing here in front of this girl. I still hadn't moved, and the registration was probably already taken. Crap, my attendance is going to be noted. Shit! I need to go. Why am I not moving?
She's still here I thought. At least be decent here and answer her.
I don't even know her though. But yet, she happens to know me. She was definitely not in the same school I was in before Tekai, that I can guarantee. But how does she know me then? Wee in the same year, but she's was bever in any of my classes. Was she? Have we met before.
A-ka-ne. There's something about that name. It's sounds like it could be Japanese. Pretty obscure, but do-able. No, Naberius, that is not Japanese. It sounds . . . Latin? Possibly Italian- no scratch that; Italian surnames end in vowels like their first names.
Weird, but it might be English. Not American English mind you, British English. I don't know, something seems somewhat . . . privileged about her. Don't ask me why, I had no idea what was making think that at the time.
Akane. Akane. A-ka-ne Na-be-ri-us. Why is that saying something to me?
Wait. That names is ringing a broken bell in my head. I have heard that before. So where, but where?
A-ka-ne, Akane. Where? Damn brain. Think already!
School. Something in the school. I must have heard it. Or read it? A flyer? The newspaper? Did she win an award or something? No, I must have heard it somewhere.
She won something. Yes, I am positive on that. She was a champion, but what was it? Well, sports can definitely be ruled out as she's not red in the face and waiting to clobber Shoda for perving on her and the other girls in the gym not more than ten minutes ago.
"Are you going to keep staring, or are you going to introduce yourself?"
Gaah! Shit, I really should have said something. I was probably creeping her out like this. Why am I still here? School started.
"You already said my name."
Its true, she did.
"I know, but it's only manners to at least respond to lady's question with equal informative value."
Privileged was now looking like a too far off word. But still, she's smiling. It's really starting to freak me a little. I'm still standing here. It's like she's petrified me to the spot. With those eyes, those burgundy coloured eyes. Like two orbs of red wine pouring themselves over me. I almost just can't stop stari-
Wait, what?
Oh crap, I'm turning into one of those creepy guys who just stares at girls and doesn't talk to them. Only in my case, she was aware of this and freaked out by it. Wait, since when- Never mind that! Just talk to her you idiot!
I cleared my throat, trying to snap myself back to life.
"Well, you already know I'm Zenjirou, so I guess there's no point telling you that."
Shes still smiling at me. Ok, where do I go from here; She's smiling, she's talking to me, she stopped me to talk. Just ask!
"Um, since you're here. Is, uh, there anything I can do for you, . . . Miss Akane."
. . . You are a moron! What kind of person says that to someone at school? And to a girl? And you did it to both!
"Well, being direct now." What? She's not mad? "It's good to see I'm not going to be wasting my time after all.
"Wait, what does that suppose to mean?"
"It means I'm showing interest in you."
H~ghh. This is too much more my brain. Please don't let me dreaming, or should it? Fantasy pickup, or socially awkward reality? H~ghh. I think my brains melting from being put under this kind of heat.
She's still here, she's still smiling at me, and I'm making her giggle. Is this good? Or am I fucking this up too much. "If that's not what you want then I won't hold you any longer."
I couldn't move, so was there really that option? No wait, she was letting me go. Maybe I should just take the out and leave. I lived like this for years, no attachment to anyone. One more excuse won't be a blow to anything important.
Stay right there! She called you first! Listen!
God, my own thoughts are fighting against me now. Why, why am I now arguing with myself. My god, I must be turning into some reclusive freak who talks to himself. No, I'm already doing it! Why am I yelling at myself!
"I take it that you want to listen then."
I wasn't doing anything else at this moment in time. Plus, when does someone like me get the chance to talk a girl, at all. It was a bonus that she wanted to talk to me. And she says she was interested. That could only be good.
"Um, uh-huh."
I should seriously start thinking more about what I say before I blurt them out. But she was still here, so I have to at least be scraping into doing fine with this conversation.
"I wanted to know if you did anything after school tomorrow?"
That's all? Is she going to get somewhere with this?
"I-I, no, no I d-don't. I'm free tommorow afternoon."
. . . That hole of yours is so deep, you'll reach the centre of the earth for sure now.
Is it weird that I am starting to think her face can't name any different facial expressions? I've been standing here, God knows what my face looks like right now, and yet she us still smiling away with both her eyelids shut.
"Perfect" she replied, flicking her right wrist and a piece of paper seemingly materialised in her fingers. "Then this is for you."
She forced into my hand, nOt hard, but it was enough that I could let go of it now. And all this before I could even put in a word of protest. H~heeh. But I felt a little giddy when she grabbed my hands. Something about it felt so soft.
"What is it?"
She tilted her head, raised a finger and opened one if her maroon coloured eyes, "It's a flyer. My club hands them out to people. Call it 'community service' if you will."
The title read something about 'Esotericism', but I thought she would of had a place with the magic club with that kind if sleight of hand.
"Your wish shall be granted?"
Thats what it read. It was weird. I was expecting this circle with the triskelion to be some form of voodu hex placed in this paper, but looking at his bland the paper appeared, I thought wrongly on that. I kept on looki, but the wholeg thing made no sense to me.
What was up with that writing also. What wish?
"The back, silly" She told me as she tuned the paper around to a blank side. Across the back, written in blue ink was a series if numbers. Her phone number? Her phone number! Oh shit, this was real! This was all too real! "But if you really want to, you could always give wishing a try. But you'd have to really want it."
she was still giggling while was looking in bewilderment at this piece of treasure I now held in mpy hands. Some stupid flyer which seemed practically a joke was now a scrap paper with her number written on it. Priceless. As was my expression.
i was feeling a bit shaky in my chest. I reached and touched over my left pectoral. My heart was racing abnormally, and my face was also feeling a little warm. What was I feeling right now?
I panicked a little when I felt her hand pressies elf I ermine. I jumped a little, in a scare. "What?"
She was still smiling. Wasn't all this hurting her? It was a nice smile, but doing it for this long, I must be making myself look like a rig fool in front of her fur her to keep this up. "Oh nothing. Just teasing you."
She pulled her hand away, and the warmth started cooling down. Do all girkps do this to guys when they start touching each other? Or a, I confusing this with some autumn fever I was catching out here?
"Well, I can't hold you here forever. Better get to class now." I looked up in a daze after she had already taken a few steps behind herself, almost skipping backwards. She then finally turned to her side, preparing to leave. "Catch tommorow then."
Tommorow? Oh, yeah. The date. I'm going on a date! Oh dear. Breath! Shit like this doesn't happen, but it has, and now I can't control myself for some reason. This doesn't happen at all. I'm going on a date with Akane Naberius. Guys like me don't go on dates with hot women like her. It doesn't do it. it never has. Now it is. Dear me!
Wait? . . , oh fuck! Class! I'm so late! Wait a minute though?
"But, what about you?"
She turned. She wasn't smiling fir a shirt bit. She was curious, but then the sling came back, along with her signature laugh. "I have my club duties, so I'm excused. Better start working those legs."
My legs? Oh fuck, she means I have too run! I had no time for this! "Crap."
I raced through the halls once I was in the doors. I saw the time; fifteen minutes past nine. What on earth was I thinking staying out there? What was I still doing out there? She was there. Why me? Never mind, I don't have time.
i burst through the door, but my breath was gone from a flight of stairs and a run through the corridors. My leg were working to the bone. I was pooped. I could not move another step, but I was there now.
crap! The class was staring at me. Red in the face, sweating, embarrassed. Even the teacher was staring at me? If I wasn't making from oxygen yo my brain right now, I would be ringing out his name from my head and onto my tongue. I only had him once a week, but still four weeks should have been enough to remember.
"Ah, Mr Santōno. Good to see you could make to class today."
"I'm sorry sir. I was held up. But, that's not a good excuse. Forgive me."
"It's quite alright, Santōno" he replied. It was? He wasn't mad?. "I would just like to be informed of things like this before class starts."
Wait? Does he know what happened? How would he be ok with this? Am I thinking too much into this? I should just go with it, do long as I'm not getting into trouble.
"It was kind of last minute. Again, sorry."
i contnued to apologise, but he seemed to understand. A little too well. Am I sure we're talking about the same thing?
"It can't be helped. You may take your seat."
Wow! I got off pretty easy? How on earth though? Still, maybe this was worth it all. Karma helping out in my life, done shit like that? Maybe?
i sat down at my desk. Three desks from the front, two from the windows and from the teacher's desk. I heard a cracker of paper, under my trousers?
i scooted a little to reach for it. I pulled out, yet, another piece of paper. It wasn't scrap, well it was a flyer. It was a torn page from a book, still with guidelines to assist with keeping spaces with writing.
But it wasn't a clean piece. It did have writing on it:
But, more importantly, I want to know what's really going on.
- signed, Shoda.
Well that explains a lot then.
Yep, he's defiantly my friend now. So that's one, which has taken me a year, so I should have another one, either with him or replacing him next year. My prospects dont look so bad.
But now with Akane is a whole different matter; one girlf-, *ahem* one girl, period, in sixteen years. So if this goes on like this, I can expect another girl to notice me . . . in what? Another sixteen years? When I'm thirty two?
Fuck, now I'm thinking about that date I have! What am I suppose to do? I have never done this. I've never been anywhere with a girl, not to mention being asked out to take her on a date? What the fuck was I suppose to do?
I don't know what she sees in me, but if this is karma throwing me a bone here, I need to make the most or it, and at the very least not screw up this one opportunity I give.
I think I might need a favour from a friend on this one. He may be a oerv, but he should know something about women at the very least that doesn't involve their undergarments.
I hope.
I'm doomed aren't I?
Part 2[]
"Akane Naberius, huh."
That's right. I ended up telling Shoda about it. He did ask, and plus since he's the one other person I am actually making the smallest consideration of talking to, it was the no brainier option.
Plus, he's been around girls, like a lot of the time. Not that any of them wanted him to. But he must have at least picked up something useful I could use.
"Yep. She stopped me before I could go to class. And then she asks me out on a date."
It was lunchtime now, and I always like the view from on top of the sports gym; I actually found it when I was chasing my homework back in the early spring. The paper slipped from my grasp and the wind caught it against the fire escape that led me to the roof. And that's where found it, my lunchtime spot.
I always made a lunch for myself, so there was never need to go into the cantina. I did for the first weeks, but I never found anything on the menu that tickled my fancy, putting it lightly.
Because I wanted to talk to him about this, I ended up brining him here. I couldn't risk going back to the tree with him, in case any f the girls saw him, and me with him.
"Dude you are seriously lucky."
I rubbed the back of my head. "I wouldn't say lucky, I mean come on; hot girls like that are always asking guys out, so I'm not a sole exception."
"Huh? No I meant this view. From here you can see all the hotties, but they don't see you. This is a young man's dream scouting point. And the best part; none of them can find me up here. I'm practically incognito in plain sight!"
Oh God! I- fuck! I've just fuelled the pervert! Shit!
What did he mean- oh crap!now I'm looking. I'm covering my eyes. He's right; you can look out on anybody from here! Shit, I saw them. Why was it windy today? All those skirts, they never stood a chance.
I have grab him back. I didn't bring him here for the peeping hole!
"Dude. Seriously." I was too late, he was flat against the edge and staring at his hearts desires. God damn it. "Well, I guess it's my own damn fault."
"No way! I know every girl in this school, from their tops to their bottoms." Please say he was making a subconscious pun. "I have made it a life work of mine to keep records on all these lovely ladies in this school. It has taken me over a year; hanging from vents, hiding in plain sight, crawling through the caverns, but still, I have yet to complete my masterpiece. My magnum opus will never be completed in my lifetime, I fear."
"O-Kay."
"One great view deserves another;" I felt something being thrown into my hand, and I instinctively grabbed hold if it. It was cars, but itself thicker for some reason. "For you my friend, I give you file #0114: Naberius, Akane."
And, he has gone from an average 5, to a very stable 9. Please don't make it to 10. He wasn't even joking, he had a sorting file folder in his hand. Paper lipped to the corner was a picture of her. He had her school yearbook picture.
Fuck, I'm feeling that feverish thing again. Just looking at her, H~heh.
Hang on though? He didn't bring his bag with him. So . . . "Wait, where did this come from?" No, 0114? He has one hundred and thirteen more of these? Better yet, where The fuck does get keep one hundred and fourteen of these?
He flicked his nose twice, devilishly smiling and wincing. "An artist never reveals his strokes. All the information I have of your lovely lady friend, as well as the rare few snaps I have managed to capture if her."
Oh crap! He has pictures. Worse, has he . . . Gah! Don't think about that? Where on earth would he keep files like thus on him . . . Please, no.
"Please tell me it's safe to touch."
He tapped it twice. "All yours man. You keep on showing me your hiding spots, and anything you want to know about any girls, you just have to ask."
Oh crap! I've become the pervert fuel line. My place if isolation is now his place of safe peeping.
Can't help now though. And, he at least helped in his own way, maybe? I mean how bad can all this be? Don't answer please I beg you.
I nervously opened it. The flap unturned and I pulled out the guest sheet I could hold onto. I. Was hesitant to look, but I had it now. *gulp* here goes nothing.
"What's this number here?"
I pulled open the page, and there was a long list of personal details; name, ethnicity, hair colour, eye colour, height, width, brea- I'll skip that. Date of birth, residence, fuck he knows everything about her!
But there was a number at the bottom; 8.46. I had no idea what it was, but it was obviously important, why else would it be stamped in red and in large bold numbers?
"My pesonal rating system" he replied, closing his eyes and placing his hand across his heart. Oh God no! "Calculating through bust size, butt size, waist, height, hair, eyes. And it all goes down in a rating from God bless to God no. For you my friend, we have what the French call, ma dame bella; while definitely not what I would rate a 10 or even a generous 9, you have just been reeled in by a very lovely 8, with hair so dark it catches the sunlight even at night. Eyes with colour so lustful your heart will stop. Not so boobalicious nor bootylicious that you can bury your face in either, but a lovely size to rest across at the very least. For a guy's first girl, she is a silver medal out of half a million. You are a lucky devil."
Eheh~he. That was . . . unexpected, and yet I was preparing myself fir something like this. Just, not like this.
"I would never have guessed you for the poetic type."
He took compliment in that, pushing the level beyond 9000. "Mere common words should not sully the pure and divine, for only art may compliment art."
Changing the subject. "So, anything in here that could be useful?"
"I told you, I have everything you will need."
"Anything that will get her to like me?"
"But, my apprentice, she asked you. Clearly whatever she sees about you she already likes."
Well, then that was a good start. Still didn't answer my question though.
"Ok, anything she might like?"
"Are you familiar with chess?"
Chess? Does she really like that? I never could really imagine any girl having an interest I something to . . . never,one, sexist thought there. Let's keep moving on.
But, overall I couldn't really imagine a pretty girl like Akane having any interest in a game like chess. Thou, bearing that in mind' I also thought she wouldn't have any interest in a guy like me. So, clearly I'm clueless here.
"Heard of it, suck at it." I'm not joking; I lost one time in three moves. Checked mate before I could even take a piece. So embarrassing.
"Maybe it's for the best then. She is considered top of her game."
Well fuck me. As long as she doesn't want to play chess against me, I'm peachy then. I mean that sarcastically, but he wasn't correcting me.
"Wait, seriously?"
His eyes widened. "Yep. I talking big leagues. And the best part; she's not even associated with the chess club."
So? "Where's the best part in this?"
"How little you know;" how little you think, but go on. "She's a pro at the game, obviously sinking many nights into it, but doesn't associate herself in a nerd club, so she's obviously not playing for the challenge of the game."
". . . And?" Seriously, where was he going with this?
"Which means there but is on conclusion; she's paying for fu-un."
What? I was built up for this answer? Now I'm really screwed if she actually enjoys it. How am I suppose to compete if she loves the game and I suck at it? Still . . .
"Fun? How is that different than what you first said?"
"Because I said 'fu-un', not fun. Fu-un. Know what I mean?"
Two syllables? One word? I am done being sarcastic here. "I don't follow."
He then wrapped an arm around me, gloating now. If he wasn't the only person I talked to,bother this would have been the end of our very brief friendship.
"Ah, kid. When your balls start to drop, then you'll know what the big boys are talking about."
I was going to give him an answer, but he shot from his seat and leaned out off the roof. Damn, pervert. I'm going to have to double check all my favourite spots and de-pervertise them now. Just what I needed.
But, then he was shooting off towards the ladder. He obviously caught his eye on something . . . hey wait? He hasn't finished helping me yet. I knew he was like this, but I thought he would actually be decent enough to finish one thing first. Jeez, my expectations were set too high.
"Hey, wai-"
"Ooh! Honey, get all over that sugar. Catch you later. I'm on it."
"On what?" I have no idea where he was going with that, but that was the last time I was seeing his shirt black hair today.
I sighed there. Left alone, and I still had no idea what to do fir the date tomorrow. As if I could leave it till later. It was tomorrow fir crying out loud! My first ever date, and she asked me. I was never going to get another chance like this.
Wait a moment. What this in my han-
The folder. I still had it. Shoda left it here with me. Still don't know where he was keeping it, and I'm not adding if I think know where.
Should I? I mean, I still have, it does seem legit- Snap out of this and just open it you freak!
Yikes! My mind is really starting to yell at me.
I opened it. I'd already seen the first page I pulled out. But there was more than that. Twenty, maybe thirty if I was lucky. Lucky? I'm really stooping to a new low here.
Hair so dark it catches the sunlight even at night. Eyes with colour so lustful your heart will stop.
People cannot be described as illustrious in such a poetic sense as that everyday
It was hard to disagree.
If I can just find what I need in here. I swear, the bare minimum from. This, and nothing too personal or anything inappropriate what so ever. If I could find enough to plan out one day for her, maybe it might be a well placed gamble I was assigned to.
That smile that never dropped from her face the whole time she looked at me. I was awkward at the time, but something warm in my chest was felt when I was now thinking about it again.
I wanted that feeling again. I was going to do my best. I would do all I could to get that feeling again, even if it may be my last. I will try.
Part 3[]
I couldn't sleep at all last night.
I was so nervous, my goosebumps were covered in goosebumps. My sweat was sweating. My-, you get the idea, I'll leave it at that.
But I ran it through my head, a dozen times ivermectin, I needed a plan. I made the plan, but was it any you'd I couldn't say. I thought about asking my mum, but then I dropped it when I realised that my evening would be nothing but occupied explaining everything to her, which I couldn't afford to do.
Don't get me wrong, I love mum. But she does tend to stick her fingers too deep into the pie; if I started by asking her about what would be a good date plan, I would be caught in a conversation that would last three hours before it would get answer.
You may thing I'm exaggerating, but this us what it would be like:
Hey mum, can I ask you something?
Who's this for?
Me. I'm the one asking. (Sarcasm, I know, but we're close so it's only for jokes. She know this.)
Well, who?
I just said. Fine, it's for a girl.
What's her name?
A-akane.
Is she foreign?
Yes, but she's really fluent in Japanese so this was not a mistranslation.
I never said it was. I'm just curious.
Well, anyway-
Where?
I don't know?
So you asked her out and you don't know where she's from.
First off, I never said we were going out. Second, I didn't ask-
So you're asking on tips to ask her.
No. She's already asked.
She asked you out!
Yes, she did-
. . .
Yeah, you get the idea from here. While she shows she cares, it gets a little too much for me to take.
With her opinion nonexistent, I only had the one person I could talk to.
My only problem now, was Shoda.
"Zenji! No time. Need to hide."
I caught him at lunchtime the next day, I hadn't been able to talk to him. Since then, the first chance I gig him, it couldn't have been better timed. For him. For me, this is a sarcastic response.
"Here."
He had been running again from another pack of hunting girls that wanted to skin his hide. When I caught him, he needed to hide so badly, hug the in place I could think of on such a time constraint was the ventilation into the school main building.
The ground where build up on a sloe like mist of the town, so the vents were ground jebel where we were standing, but the ground floor would be dug into the slope to keep it level with the rest if the building.
I had never been in it, but Shoda was known to fit in tight spots so it shouldn't have been a problem.plus, he really has little choice at the moment.
Since he was now stuck here till the heat died down to a watchful yellow alert from dead meat red. His voice was very constricted insure the shaft, but he was safe and able tongue me his opinion.
In hindsight, asking a pervert on advice about women was never a good idea to begin with.
["Thanks man. Listen, you keep look out for me, ok?"]
"Sure, listen; I had some thoughts about my date with Akane today."
["Just don't give my position away, apart from that I'm all ears. But my eyes are a different story."]
That took me by surprise. Little had I had an idea that this vent would make another terrible decision on my part once again.
I could hear my huffing, like his breath was tied in a knot. Stupidly I asked with concern us it was a problem.
"What?"
["I never knew there was a crack in the ventilation, right above the class room. Thank the gods for no air conditioning in this room. Top button undone, means bird's eye buxom view. You are my sensei, I should have friended you sooner."]
If this was a meme for pranks, I would gave just fed the 'trol'. Work it a bit, and I just fed the horny a safe view of his worldly desires as he just came from another viewing point.
I slapped my head I really did. I even questioned whether to drag him out and let the girls kill him. "For the love of, I wanted to run by you my plans for today."
["All ears, but my attention is a bit tied up right now."]
I ignored that and just carried on. I only had three hours or so left to ask this.
"I meet up with her after school, and then I was planning on taking her into town, where all the shops are."
["Good, get her into a clothes shop. Chicks are always jumping in and out if those places. If you're lucky, she'll need help trying things on."]
That's . . . a good start? But not my original plan.
"Well, I was actually going to take her for food first-"
["Bad choice; if she eats before trying clothes on, she might not fit so well, then you'll be a crying shoulde- actually, that could still work. Like your thinking."]
Ok. Maybe not then. It's a great plan he jumped to. This was a lot I didn't even consider. I was breathing rapidly now. God, why? Am I really panicking here? I thought I got rid of this last night.
"Maybe I'll do that after then. God, I'm nervous here."
["Just breath in and out, it will help me a lot."]
I calmed down a little, and I did as he said. Breathing in and out in deep slow breaths. I could hear him huffing along with me. Maybe he wasn't all bad like I keep complaining.
"Thank you."
["What? Nah, this girl is right underneath me. Those gozong- . . ."]
Fuck sake, I'm getting no where, and I still needed a game plan here.
"I get it, speak to you . . . Yeah."
I heard another huffing from the vents, but that was the last I heard if him for the rest if the day.
. . .
With the one other person I would have ever considered asking advice from now out of the picture, permanently, for the rest of the day at least, I was left to deal with this matter solo. I could not tell you how scared I was feeling right now.
Just thinking about what my plans would lead to with each reaction, the order of it all, the ideas themselves. I was just making myself scared shit over this. Well, wouldn't you if you were asked out abruptly by a seriously cute girl who smiled at you the entire time you were looking at her and making a right arse of yourself.
For the whole afternoon, I couldn't concentrate on anything else but her. The poetic description of her that Shoda gave to me, just melting over my heart. It felt odd, but it was a giddy sort of feeling. I wanted to feel that way again. I wanted to see her smile again. Maybe, I wanted more, like her words were an addiction.
Holy crap. My chest shaky, and something is thumping against my lungs. Is that what they call a skipping heart beat? I'm not sure about this.
It went on like this until the last bell tolled, and then I was just scared more than anything. Being scared for the whole day shouldn't have made a difference, but with the seconds having ticked away and I was left to my demands, that was seriously scary thoughts.
"Hey, Zenjirou!"
I waited outside the school for ten extra minutes. I didn't know what kind of lesson that Akane finished with today, but I figured that she might be held back a little during the lesson for what ever reason her peers had decided. That didn't help the anxiety, but it gave me some more time to think.
Just not enough.
She arrived after fifteen minutes, and when I caught sight of her, we were the last people on the grounds. And what those extra minutes she had used up were for, I was truly stunned.
Out of her school uniform, she was wearing a one piece dress with a skirt line that rivaled the above knee length of the ones all the girls wore to school. Her dress was coloured in midnight blue, and what appeared to be a collection of white five pointed stars all over. The pattern was unique wherever you look, and I had a good look, there was no one area that was covered the same from where I was looking.
Her black hair was straightened out, and loose from head band she was wearing yesterday, and now just fell off her shoulders naturally. A few untamed strands crossed over her rich red wine coloured eyes, and only seemed to highlight them even more.
Her school approved shoes were replaced with a much more matching pair of white and navy light vans. Thankfully she didn't chose to wear anything with high heel, or I would possible start to look dwarfed walking alongside her, and I was afraid as it was of embarrassing myself and her.
. . . Crap, I haven't answered yet! Think quickly?
"A-a-a, Akane, hey." . . . Smooth jackass, like sandpaper.
"Did I keep you waiting in long? I'm sorry, but I couldn't decide what to wear."
"You did-, I mean, well it wasn't too long, and I-it was worth it. I mean, seeing you in that. It looks go- great! You look great."
She smiled I response, maybe even blushed a little which looked really cute. Her cheeks lighting up in the same colour as her eyes. It just worked. But it didn't last, when she opened her eyes and looked me up and down with curiosity.
"Thank you. But you didn't dress up, what gives?"
I wish I could say I answered it without making myself the fool again. But that would be a lie. I threw myself into a complete panic. After thinking so hard and so nail-bitingly into the date, I never considered preparations before it even started. I ruined it before we even got started.
I should have used this time to excuse myself without babbling like an idiot. I didn't though.
"S-sorry, I-i-i didn't know. And, it was my first time planning a d-date and I made sure everything else was good b-but I never thought about changing clothes so now I'm in my uniform l-looking bland and you're in your dress looking a trillion yen, and now I'm really sorry 'cause I've ruined it. Haven't I. I'm sorry."
. . . You've just screwed yourself over, man. I'm serious
I took my eyes away from my thoughts and nervously looked back at her . . . Laughing?
Or, maybe not.
"Well, looks like this date is you to be more fun. Now."
She lunged herself into me, wrapping her self around my left arm. Her chest pressed up against them. I hope I don't start sweating now. "Wh-what? What are you . . ."
"Taking your arm, silly. That's what people do on a date. But now, I taking you somewhere."
"But, I, the date?"
She giggled again. I was just walking joke material to her. But she was enjoying it, so I thought that I should just leave it be. I lov- liked seeing that smile! Too soon?
"It's still on, but now I get to have fun taking to get some new clothes. I can't look a trillion yen and you feeling left out, 'cause then neither of us would have fun. So let's get going."
"S-sure. Whatever you want." Right choice. Now, don't screw up again from here.
"Hhmhmm, you just know all the right words. Rule 1: dates are whatever the girl wants."
What? Rules? Crap, more things to remember. Please don't be too many. "How many rules are there?"
"You'll just have to score right to find out. Now let's go here first, Zeni-kun!"
Please don't say she's going to keep calling me that.
But in spite of me about to speak, she started dragging me if with her to get me a new look for the date. Our date. H~heh.
Part 4[]
"Well, I really had a good time. I'm glad I made that decision."
Her words, not mine. But I couldn't agree more with that statement.
It was past dark now. The moon was out and all was shrouded in shadows. This date had lasted us for a good six hours at a rough estimate. Though the whole thing felt like time had gone by a lot quicker than it should have. A quarter of a day shocking a felt like less than and hour or two. But it did today.
She took me to get some new clothes like she wanted, there was no arguing with her not that I even intended to complain, even when she called me Zeni. I still didn't like it, but even adding -kun to it only sweetened it a little. She fitted me out in a thin hooded jumper of all things with a zip down the middle; burgundy with golden yellow characters written across it. Typical SuperDry. A teal coloured shirt underneath marked in fine white stripes, top button undone. Dark jeans to match, but none of the tight fitting ones, we both agreed on that.
That took up an hour, but maybe just less. Thank God she didn't insist on shoes, or this could have taken longer. Good thing she picked out what would actually look good with my school shoes deliberately.
The rest of the five hours was spent on a meal, a movie, some small activities in shops, before we were now here in the park. A clear sky, brought full moon, empty open space, perfect ending.
For a first date, this was better than I could have hoped. I almost felt splits for this.
I don't know, I still don't know, what is about Akane. I have still spared a few thoughts on this. But not anymore than that. Something about her, it just gets into me with this giddy feeling (I keep using that word, but I'm unsure if there's even a word to describe the feeling). But I like it. Like an addiction.
I did all this because she asked me yesterday, and I wasn't regretting it.
I rubbed the back of my hand, while trying not t make too much of a fuss since she was still clinging to my right arm with both if hers locked into it. "Um, thanks. I've never really taken a girl out. Or even planned to spend the day with one."
She clung on tighter, pulling her chest further into my arm. "So, that would make you a date virgin then, Zeni-kun."
"Well, yes, and could you-"
She then stopped me, surprisingly with a finger to my lips. Kay now was herb rip loosening up. She swung herself in my path till she was standing front of me now. She reflexed her index finger back into her palm, rubbing downwards across my chin. I could feel the heat in my cheeks. I must have looked like a tomato when she said "Now it's my turn."
"Um, wait, I just-"
I was cut off again, not by her finger, but her whole mouth. Tiptoeing upwards into my face, she locked her loos onto mine. I would have usually jumped in a situation like this, but I found myself stuck there like she had lips made of glue. Sweet tasting glue that wanted to be sucked, maybe . . . even chewed on a little.
I didn't have a say in the matter, this was her move and she remained dominated in it. By the time she decided it had lasted long enough, I was feeling light headed enough that I could have slept with that one happy thought left to end the date.
Life can be so cruel though.
"You're cuter when your not saying a thing. I'd hate for you to spoil a lovely opportunity like this. You can thank me later, but this was my thank you."
She just has the right words all the time. You said it. She just knows what to say, and that just leaves me feeling more like a nervous wreak when the words just don't come to me so naturally.
"H~gh. Well, thank you?"
Dumbass. Of all things. Why question it at all?
My thoughts are more comfortable at speaking its mind than I ever was. Bearing in mind, it was my mind. A few more words like that and I would have tongue twisted myself.
She started playing around with my chest, poking her finger through the exposed gap of the half unzipped jacket and into one of the spaces between the buttons of my shirt, drawing circles on the flesh of my skin, in the centre of my pectorals. (Though, more accurately where they would be if I ever worked out enough to have any.)
"Hmm. I definitely made the right choice picking you that day."
I gulped a little. Was this some sort of test? Did she want to put me through a trial run, not that I'm saying that that's not what a first date is suppose to be, at least that's what I assumed . . . ? Or, is she . . . wait, is she implying something more?
"Might I just ask, why di-"
I didn't have my answer, or the rest of my sentence as she grabbed hold of my right hand with both of hers and she started pulling me along with her, contending down the path at running speed. I nearly fell off my feet I was so surprised by it. She was really strong too, but that was probably just the momentum.
"Come on, there's somewhere I want to take you now."
I didn't have the energy to start asking; the speed she was pulling me along was enough of a start to knock most of the wind out of me. By the time I managed to regulate my breathing, she had already stopped at her location.
"So what's it-? Akane?"
I watched her stand there, stepping forward from me till her distance was easily five - ten metres. She stood there at the edges if the fountain, with the mon shining off the water and seemingly shining around her. A pale white aura.
"Can I ask you something, Zeni-kun?"
"Well, sure. I guess. Fire away."
"Would you die for me?"
. . . Eh, what?
"Uh, pardon?"
She turned around to face me, her head held low. This was so unlike her, her tone was also off, like she wasn't talking her usually confident if cheerful self. She was serious, and . . . sincere?
"If, by some random chance, someone comes here and tries to kill me. Would you die for me, Zeni-kun?"
I was knocked back a little. The sudden thought that ran through her head, it was something I never would have taken into consideration. I wonderd what had suddenly brought this up. I woukd have thought this was part of the date, but her tone and demeanour was so unlike her, like she dropped her guard to ask me this.
What was I suppose to say to that? Yes, you imbecile. The answer is yes. No, because that would be lying.
"No" I said, "I wouldn't."
That shocked her. Good job you ass. Shut up! I'm not finished.
"I wouldn't let myself die, but I sure as hell wouldn't let anyone hurt you either. If that chance ever came, I would do all I could to stay alive defending you, so that you'll still have someone you can trust when it's all over."
. . . I tip my hat. Thank you.
She tilted her head up. Was she crying? Her cheeks were shiny, or maybe she was too close to the fountain earlier. But either way, she was smiling again, wiping up the wetness from her face.
She then started walking up to me. Then, at five feet away, she threw herself into my arms. "Thank you" she replied softly, then grabbing my cheeks for another kiss. My mind went fuzzy again. She really has a weird effect on me.
"How sweet."
Who was that! . . .
"Trying to lay your heretic claws in his Sacred Gear are you, devil bitch?"
There it was again. I snapped alert, looking above Akane's head. Someone else was here. Where? In front of me? No. I looked both ways. No. Behind? No?
I didn't imagine this. Where is that voice coming from? Then I looked above my head.
Standing perfectly balanced on a lamppost, was a figure dressed all in black. The light only helped to camouflage him, draining all vision on his shape from detailed view.
"Where the hell did you come from?"
He leapt off and somersaulted over our heads, landing . . . he didn't land. He was floating? A few inches off the surface of the water in the fountain, he was standing on empty space. He crossed his arms, and I could see one glowing eye and a lighting smile in the shadows.
"I was watching this whole soppy mess unfold since the day I happened to notice you. But it looks like I was a little too late to take it from you myself." Something red and slippery ran outside his mouth, which I hoped was a loose bit of blood rather than his tongue. "Shame though. At least this way, I get to kill two souls instead of one."
I instructor decided to move away from the stranger in the dark; I held onto Akane and tried to get her to move. But she wouldn't budge. She wasn't even scared. She was smiling.
"Oh well. It was bound to happen sometime. I at least hoped to ease you into this before this started happening. But I guess it can't be helped."
I was getting a bit scared now, not that I wasn't already feeling very afraid before. "Akane?"
The glowing eye squinted. "Well, well. Looks like I get to have some fun playing with my food before killing it."
Something shot out of his jacket. A cape of some kind stopped through the wind and then arched itself like a second pair of arms. Droplets of black fell delicately from behind, like sharp quills floating in the air. The wind caught up from behind and a pile of feathers lay across the enlightened path between us and him.
"Gaah! Wings? What kind if crazy cannibal psychopath has wings?"
"Stand back, Zeni-kun. I won't let her hurt you, like you promised me."
"Akane? Don't do this. Please, let's just run."
She chuckled lightly. Unlike her girlish giggles she gave me when I made a fool of myself, her new laughter was more amusement than a polite reaction.
"The House of Naberius never flees. It guards its gates and kills all that tries to pass it."
His tongue came back, and a red light appeared where his second eye should have been. "Oh, a noble devil. The taste of your blood will be even more sustenance, and the taste will be something worth savouring."
A claw reached out from the fountain and a rod of electricity seemed to spawn outwards into a spear. Rather than spark and shutter violently out if control, it was solid and graspable.
Pulling it up, the black winged psycho raised his arm. "Die by the light, devil bitch!"
"Fuck!" I watched in terror as the light shot straight at Akane. I tried to pull her away, but when the light was only four metres away, it was already too late.
". . . Huh? Where? What the!"
I had covered my eyes, but the impact never took effect. I reopened them. I was still here, holding onto her, but she was also still here. The light . . . Holy crap! It was still here, less than a metre away!
A green aura enveloped her, and was also holding around the light spear. Light also green was shining from the ground up, like a detailed patterned circle. Rotating. Ok this was getting to be too much now.
The light was making her hair blow upwards like there was a vent beneath her feet. It ruffled and blew upwards across her dres- Gaah! I shouldn't be looking, but I'm still looking!
"I am Akane Naberius. Niece to Lord Taito, the Marquis of Naberius. You are in my territory rogue fallen one, and I do not like the sight of trespassers, especially while I'm out on a date."
What? I fell back when two limbs shot from her back as well.
"Wh-, Wings? You have wings. She has wings. Why do you have wings?"
They were wings, but unlike the bird man in the dark, hers were closer to a bat, a very weird shaped pair of bat wings that seemed too lean and branch like to be useable as instruments for flying.
Another road appeared, soon as the one evaporated from Akane's demonic aura. "Oh, I guess you never told him. Makes my job easier, when I do this!"
"Gaah!"
I flinched, waiting for the light to hit me now. It exploded but I remained untouched.
"Ouch. May I switch to attack, my king?"
Someone else was here, standing between us and him. She too had bat wings, but she folded them back inside her body. I could see the back if her head; black hair, but shorter and manageable to her left side, and longer and less tamed in terms of length on her right, some draping over her shoulder.
She was shorter than the three if us already present, and she was more petite in . . . other areas. I couldn't see ver clearly, but she appeared to be wearing a school uniform. Wait? That's Tekai uniform? She's from our school!
Akane nodded, dying down the green light that enveloped her. "You may. Have at it if you want to."
She turned around. Emotionless, her face was like a statue, or a ver disciplined soldier. I hake expected a salute, but her hands never touched get forehead. "Thank you my king."
I must have been crazy when I saw this smaller girl ran straight into him. The psycho lost his smile when she jumped and elbowed him straight in the guts. The wind knocked out of him allowed her to grab his left arm and there was a crack when I presumed she dislocated it. The twisted limb was backward, making me feel a little suck she he started coughing up blood.
"What? Where?"
She then swiftly moved in and took out his left leg, forcing him to his knee. "My king prefers to take things in her own time. She gets upset when things don't go according to plan, so I'm here to remove the trash that caused it."
"GHarghh! You little piece of-" He never finished as she jumped on his back and caught him in a headlock, cutting off his breathing whilst doing so.
"I'd advice you to watch your tongue in my king's presence" she replied monotony as she had done before.
The red eye squinted, but it was an angry squint, and water was now luring from his mouth. Red, like his mouth now bleeding. "I'll say what I like! If she means so much to you, then I kill her first!"
He raised a hand, half gulping for air, and started gathering light.
But, *slash*, a clean piece if metal sliced through the air in the middle if a blur. It took a few seconds, but them his hand dropped from his arm and sank into the fountain pool.
A blur stopped and knelt in front of Akane. It was another girl in Tekai uniform, but she was older, maybe the same year as us. Her hair was most peculiar though; it was long and tied into a long tail would easily reach her waist, but the colour of it, transitioning naturally between blonde through auburn and into black like sunlight.
In her right hand, she held a nodachi that was easily longer than her arm. She knelt with the swords tip horizontally across her knee. I could see what appeared to be snakeskin tied to the hilt.
"My lady, I must ask that we end this useless confrontation soon. I could no longer stand by?" Her manner definitely had more emotion, but it remain civil. She sounded calm, but her words suggested she had grown bored.
"That's alright. I'm sorry I worried you. Go on then, but not too much this time ok. Just get it done." This time?
"Understood. It shall be done at once." She vanished again, only to appear on the path facing the winged man in the water. She raised her sword, cutting a figure-eight in the air. "Taste the blade that slew the great snake!"
She charged right in, cutting through his new spear of light and slicing through his handless right arm, splitting it own into the elbow.
"Argh! You bitch-"
He stopped again when the petite girl tightened get grip around his necks. "I told you to watch your tongue."
He struggled with his neck being squeezed, however he broke his chance when he started using his wings to attack. Taking evasive action, she jumped off his back and stood beside her swordswoman comrade.
The bird man took off while he had the chance, still moving in ferocity from the damage he took and flew in the direction of the moon. Water, and possibly blood, dripping from him as he took off.
"Proceed with chase endgame" Akane commanded. "Rook and Knight, forward formation, but do not engage unless forced to."
"Yes my king."
"Certainly, my lady."
The nodachi wielder zoomed off like she was never here to begin with, while the martial artist ran after her at a normally applicable speed, too the darkness was back, and it was just me in the park, with her.
She offered out her hand after turning around, smiling innocents again like nothing had changed. "Well come on. Don't just sit there, come to me."
"A-a-a . . ."
"Or would you prefer if I come to you, Zeni-kun."
I was in so much shock. Her wings were still out, and yet she was saying like she had been during our date. Our date? How did I get from going out with a girl from school, to almost being murdered by a crazed man with bird wings, and two superhuman girls beating him up.
Now I'm here, still on the ground. And she's still here.
"Akane? Wh-what? I? Y-you? What?"
"That's right. I am Akane Naberius, and I'm also a devil."