ai | s. manjiro & m. takashi

さんじゅうよん

When the new school year started, Ai kept her long hair down and finally got rid of her plaster cast. And it wasn't because she remembered a certain someone liked her hair that way, but it was because she loves the feeling of the cold air blowing her hair back. Nami and Kairi laughed at her reason for saying that she felt like she was some heroine in an afternoon television drama.

Ai didn't needed to worry about rushing to the next city anymore, no longer packing her training clothes and shoes or having to rush back home at night. For the first time, Ai felt a little free from her tight scheduled life back then. And it felt nice to be free from what shackled her down. Although she misses it, they will forever remain good memories to her. Something she could tell her children about her youth.

"Um, Ai? A group of losers came to see you." Kairi says, knocking on her hand on her desk.

"What do you mean losers?" Yamagishi half yells, a vein popping in his temple.

"We're members of Tokyo Manji Gang!" Makoto shouts, causing a few other students to turn their heads and look at him.

"Eh? Tokyo Manji Gang? Ai told us that group disbanded already. I'm not scared of gangs." Kairi sasses, rolling her eyes before walking back to her seat.

"How may I help you four?" Ai smiles at the four of them, tucking a hair back behind her ear. "Isn't it troublesome that you four walked all the way here? Our school is like one end to another!" She says, frowning a little.

But that didn't bothered nor fazed the Ai Fanboy Fanclub founding members, in fact, they were more than happy to be talking to Ai herself and being able to see her this close. Now that Ai is single, they were ready to shoot their shot on her, most especially Yamagishi.

"Please hang out with us after your class!" The four of them chorused, holding their hands behind their backs and bowing their heads to her.

"E-eh? I mean...sure, why not?" Ai stammers but chuckles softly. "Can I make a request on the place? I want to go play at the arcade!" She beams to the four of them.

"If Ai wants to go to the arcade, then we are going!" Makoto declares, lifting his head up.

"Who are we to even turn down a special request?!" Yamagishi shouts

"Oi, be quiet you two! People are looking at us!" Ai scolds them, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Sorry about those two. They just become loud when excited." Akkun explains, rubbing the back of his nape, a small tint of pink splotched on his cheeks.

"It's fine! I needed to have fun anyways!" Ai said before turning her eyes to look at Takuya. She smiled at him and waved her hand towards him. Takuya was caught off guard by this and shyly waved back at her as well.

"Where is Takemichi kun?" Ai asks, holding onto the straps of her backpack as she walks in between Takuya, Akkun, Makoto and Yamagishi, heading towards the ever busy and bustling Shibuya.

"With Hina of course! That guy is a simp!" Yamagishi snickers.

"You know...I kind of get why my older sister likes him. Takemichi is strong and resilient" Ai begins to say, lifting her head up to look at the lush green leaves of trees. "The type who won't even give up on you-"

"DO YOU LIKE HIM?!" Both Yamagishi and Makoto asks

"IDIOTS! IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Ai shouts back, bonking their heads together. Instead of saying sorry, they even thanked Ai for hitting them.

"Say Ai" Yamagishi starts to say as Takuya and Makoto exchanged their printed money for tokens. "You're no longer going to Minato City right?" He asks