{DISCONTINUED} Dainty Duet • HANANENE

An Amane Adventure (8)

Sakura walked to the counter, and began searching underneath it for something.
"If it's for her, then I have an idea."
"Really?!"
"Yes." She pulled up a box from under the counter, sliding it more forwards to be in front of Amane. She opened the box, and began searching through it.
"You know this is like something out of a film- like you're about to take out a magical item or something."
"It's not magic but it may as well do the same thing."

Sakura placed a smaller box down, and opened it, showing a fairly large, round skull broach.
"Here." She said, and Amane looked at it in amazement.
"It's just like the one she had when we were in school!"
"I know."
"Do you know what happened to the one she used to wear, though? She just randomly stopped wearing it one day and never explained why."
"I do not, but if I was to guess, I'd say it might have broken. She did wear it everyday, after all. Either way, I think she'd like this if you gave it to her."

Amane thought for a moment, and finally nodded, smiling.
"How much is it?" He asked, and Sakura shook her head with a small smile.
"This box is full of things we don't sell anymore. They've been here awhile so I don't remember the price. You can have this for free."
"Are you sure? I don't think that's fair..."
"I'm sure."
"But wouldn't you get fired?" Sakura leaned closer to Amane, and whispered something in his ear.
"I'm the owner of this shop."
"Oh."

"Well, thank you! I think Yashiro will really like this!" Amane grinned, and Sakura tilted her head.
"Can I ask you a question?" She asked, and Amane looked up from the broach.
"What is it?"
"You two are in a relationship, correct?"
"Yes? What about it?"
"And you have been for several years, correct?"
"...Yes...?"
"So why do you still call her by her last name? Doesn't she use your first?"

I guess changing what I call her never crossed my mind. Eventually I'd have to call her Nene.

"She does, but I've never really noticed that I still refer to her as Yashiro even considering how long we've been together." Amane answered, and Sakura nodded.
"Well, why don't you try calling her Nene then?" Sakura said, putting the large box back under the counter.
"What do you mean 'try'?"
"I mean just use her first name already. It's been long enough, hasn't it?"
"Maybe it has..."

Sakura gave a small smile as she finished with what she was doing, and Amane turned to the door. He only got half way there, though, before being interrupted.
"Oh, and one more thing, Yugi." Sakura said, and Amane stopped in his path. He turned around, seeing Sakura smiling again.
"What's the special occasion? You don't seem like the type to get her a gift for no reason."
"Does there need to be one? I just want to express my undying love for my beautiful girlfriend!~" Amane responded, dramatically emphasising the 'love' part, and holding his hands to his heart, and slightly spinning as if to swoon. Sakura chuckled slightly, and gestured to the door. Amane turned back to the door, almost running for his life.

Yes all the references to death and dying I put in sentences or speech revolving around Amane in both this book and the last one are absolutely intentional and there's a lot of them I dare you to try to find them all :)

Amane ran along the pavement, stopping every so often making sure that he hadn't dropped the broach.

Why did I decide to go to a shop not close to where we live? Actually, no, why did I AGAIN not take the car?!

He stopped after ten minutes, cursing himself for this decision. He stopped to catch his breath, which wasn't as quick of a process as he'd hoped it would be.

Okay. This was stupid. I can feel that people are staring at me. Don't know if it's because they know who I am or because I look like a complete moron.

"Excuse me?" Someone tapped on his shoulder, and he whipped his head around. It was a girl who looked around 17-18, and she was holding a small notebook. She had dark brown hair that was cut into a bob, and ruby red eyes. She wasn't very tall, and Amane could guess that she was only around 4'11-5'1.
"Can I help you?" Amane asked, slightly confused. The girl fixed her fringe, then spoke.
"It's nothing majorly important, but I just wanted to ask if you're the person that goes by the name 'Hanako'?"

Here we go again.

"Uhm, yeah. I am, why?" Amane sighed, standing up straighter.
"You are??" The girl's eyes sparkled, and she had a big smile. Amane had an idea of where this was going, but he nodded and let her continue.
"Sorry- uhm- wow! I didn't think I'd ever see you in person!" She babbled, and Amane facepalmed while she wasn't looking.
"I don't mean to be rude, but are you actually going to go somewhere with this? I'm trying to get home."
"Oh- sorry!! It's just that I had something I made, but I didn't know how to give it to you."
"You did?"
"Yeah! I really like your songs, and I saw on your social medias about your girlfriend, and since I like sewing I decided to make little mini versions of you two!" The girl gave a big smile, and took out two tiny plush creations from her pocket. Well, not really two, they were sewn together. Amane's eyes widened, and he looked closely at them.
"You made these? That's really impressive!"
"It is?! Thank you!"

The girl placed the plush in Amane's hand, still smiling.
"What're you doing?" He asked, and the girl stepped back a bit.
"I made them for you! They took awhile, but I like how they turned out! I hope you like them too!"
"You're sure?"
"Yes! I saw the chance to give them to you and I didn't want to miss it."
"Well, thank you! But if you don't mind me asking, what's your name?"
"Megumi!"
"That's a lovely name; this is really well made, do you sell others?"
"I try to sell them on my Instagram and Twitter, but nobody ever buys them." Megumi shifted a bit, hands behind her back.
"Mind telling me what your account is called?"
"Huh?"
"If you do, I can help you get more people hopefully buying your things!"
"Really?! You'd do that?!"
"Yes! These look like they must have taken hours, and considering you made them, it's the least I could do."

———

Finally, Amane got home. He closed the door, and hit his head on it after closing it. Yashiro walked up to the doorway, staring at him curiously.
"You were awhile." She said, and Amane turned around, holding what he got her behind his back.
"Yeah- sorry about that- I, uhm, I didn't take the car again."
"Amane-kun, why not?"
"I didn't realise how far it was then when I did I was already too far to come back and get it."
"You're so... nevermind. Come on, we've all been waiting to watch that film."
"You could have started it without me, you know."
"It wouldn't be fair for you to miss the first hour, you were the one that chose it."
"So I was..."

Yashiro turned, and was about to go back to the living room, but Amane quickly grabbed her hand, still making sure not to drop what he got for her. She turned around, confused.
"Erm, wait, I-" He began, but cut himself off.
"Hm?"
"I got something for you."
"You did?" Yashiro's eyes widened, and Amane gave her the box that contained the broach. She opened the box, and upon seeing the broach, she smiled.
"I know it's the same as the one you used to have in school, but it seems like something you'd like." Amane said, and before getting a proper answer, Yashiro practically tackled him into a hug.
"It's definitely the same as that one, but that makes it better! Thank you!"
"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it, Nene."

God that felt weird to say-

Yashiro pulled back, surprised to hear Amane say her first name. She was happy, but surprised he finally said it after all these years.
"That's the first time you've ever said my first name. What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" She said, smiling sweetly.
"Nothing-! I just- uhm- thought it was about time I used your first name. I mean, there'd definitely come a point that I'd have to call you that."
"There definitely would."

Before Amane could respond, Yashiro put the broach on her jacket, and the two of them entered the living room to watch the film they'd all agreed on.

Next chapter will have everytime she says or does something it will say nene instead of yashiro