Ruki's Guide to Love and Fear (A JO1/Shiroiwa Ruki Fanfic)

Chapter 6

Ruki and Momoko were already sitting in the ferris wheel car before either of them spoke again. Because the ride was already moving, Ruki was forced to stay in his seat; otherwise, he would have stood up and bowed politely. "Ito, I'm so sorry! I probably should've asked before holding your hand. I only did it because those girls—"

"Shiroiwa," Momoko interrupted him, "It's okay. You don't have to explain. I know why you did it." 

He found himself inexplicably blushing again. "Oh," he mumbled. 

She looked up at him suddenly, "I don't really care what those girls were saying about me. I don't really care what anyone says about me." 

"Really?" Ruki knew that wasn't true for him. No matter what he told himself, he knew he cared about what other people thought more than he should. 

She shrugged. "I know people think I look weird, but that's okay. I'm not here for their entertainment." 

How is she this confident? He stared at the girl in front of him, hoping to find a clue into her mind. "What are you here for, then?"

Again, she shrugged. "To live how I want. To do whatever I want to do. Have no regrets." 

He kept studying her face: the way some of her hair that had escaped her ponytail floated around her ears, her dark eyes, the curve where her pale jaw met her neck, her full lips. He could feel his heart trying to burst out of his chest. 

Oh my god, what the hell am I thinking about? 

"M-me too," he stuttered. "Ever since I was in middle school, all I wanted was to be an idol. There were lots of people who thought I couldn't do it, but here I am. I wouldn't be in this business if I didn't love it." 

"Hmmm," she said quietly. "And now I'm sitting here with one of Japan's finest idols."

He shook his head, smiling, "I'm not the finest, but I appreciate the sentiment." 

No words passed between them for a few seconds. 

"Shiroiwa, can I ask you something?" Momoko suddenly asked.

"Sure?"

"Can I try on your sunglasses for a second?"

My sunglasses? Ruki was not one who really enjoyed sharing things, but not wanting to offend the girl who he had just mentally praised and openly pretended to be her boyfriend for, he took off his sunglasses and silently handed them to Momoko. He squinted in the sunlight that flooded his vision while Momoko placed the sunglasses on her face. 

"Do I look like a normal girl now?" she said, puffing out her chest and leaning her head on her hand, mocking a modeling pose.

Ruki started laughing. "Hey, I wouldn't have let you borrow my sunglasses if I knew you were going to do that."

She made another ridiculous pose. "How about now?"

Ruki covered his eyes, still laughing. "Noo, don't do that!"

"Look Shiroiwa," she said, putting her hands in front of her like they were on handlebars, "Guess who I am?"

"Hey, that's not fair!" he half-shouted, half-laughed in fake outrage. "I want my sunglasses back now!" He reached his hand out expectantly.

She shook her head. "Nope, if you want them, you're going to have to come get them!"

Huh, what was this new madness? I don't want to get that close to Momoko because I'm afraid I'll trigger my fear...