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9 December 2005
FRIDAY
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[y/n]'s pov
𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍, 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈'𝐒 actions and outbursts of advice has become the most prevalent thing over my mind. His warning though came as no surprise to me though, as I haven't been that secretive about my distaste and lack of trust towards Kisaki.
Taking Takemichi's advice into consideration; perhaps, I should take some of Kisaki's tricks. From an outside perspective, he looked dependable. He was shorter and not so muscular, wore glasses and carried himself with a lighter air to him. Being so well mannered most of the time, it was easy to forget the reputation that preceded him.
And so, that's what sparked the question,
"Hey, Emma, Hinata, do I look threatening?" I ask the two girls, who were spread across Emma's bedroom.
Emma looked up from the magazine she was reading on the bed, "well personally, no, because I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me," she replies.
"But from a person who wouldn't know you, yeah, I would say you look kinda threatening," Hinata chimes in, pointing towards me from where she sat against the bed frame.
I purse my lips, "well, what makes me look threatening," I then ask.
"Why?" Emma then counters, albeit concerned for my random onslaught of questions.
"Oh, I just had someone tell me I looked like it, and was wondering how," I smoothy answer.
Emma seemed to accept my response, closing her weekly magazine to sit crossed-legged, "well, other than being in Toman – a vice-leader no less," she began, hopping off the bed to where I leaned against the door frame of the bedroom, "your aura kinda gives that 'fuck off' kinda vibe."
I raise my brow, "really, didn't think that," I ponder, gazing down to the hard wooden floors.
"You also look like your scowling most of the time," Hinata says, nodding her head.
"Oh," I state, moving over to Emma's mirror, and checking my face, "I can't really tell," I mumble.
Emma gives a small laugh, "here," she calls, coming to stand beside me in front of the mirror, "first, relax your face. Raise your eyebrows a little bit, and give a small smile – just raising the corner of your lips slightly," she instructs.
Turning back to the mirror, I follow her directions, before allowing my face to fall back into the way it naturally presents itself.
It was then I truely noticed, "oh, I really do look like I'm scowling," I sweat drop, pulling my face back into the way Emma just taught me.
"And then there's your clothes, and your posture," Hinata continues, coming to stand on my other side from Emma.
I look down to what I was wearing, and straighten my back upright, "that as well?" I ask aloud, and the two girls chuckled at my reaction.
"You certainly look like you're in a gang, [y/n]," Emma comments.
"Well, I am though," I dead pan, face falling back into its natural scowl, "but, do you think you could – maybe, give me tips on how to look a little less 'threatening'?" I ask, pulling a slight grimace.
The reasoning behind why I wanted to do this seemed to go straight over Emma's head, "oh my god! I've been waiting for this day for like; forever," she squeals, bounding over to her closet, pulling out all sorts of garments, "Hinata, come help me pick out [y/n] something to wear – we're gonna give her one of those Disney transformations!"
Emma turns, holding up a white cardigan, a mischievous smile forming.
My face began to tighten, getting a sense of premonition that this was for more of Emma's sake than my own.
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Glancing down, watching as Emma fixed up the placement of the knitted white cardigan, I turn to check myself in the mirror across the room.
"Um, I'm not really sure," I voice out, shifting my arms around.
"You're so cute!" Hinata comments, and I force a smile.
Looking back to where Emma stood, I was quick to catch her holding her film camera before it flashed.
"It's certainly different from what I'd usually wear," I observe.
Emma had dressed me in one of her favourite cardigans that was cut to show cleavage, tucking it into the baby blue skirt that barely reached halfway up my thigh. Ticking up my right leg, the white leg warmers slid further down my ankle.
"How could I fight without everything falling out," I comment, pulling the skirt further down to hide my underwear.
"Not the point," Emma replies, once again filing through her closet.
Hinata gives me a smile, "why don't you try it with your jeans instead," she offers, picking up my baggy blue jeans I was previously wearing.
"Good idea!" Emma calls, still lost in her wardrobe.
Returning Hinata's smile, I take the jeans from her grasp.
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"I think this is better," I first state, after finishing tucking the cardigan in the way Emma showed me.
Emma's eyes twinkled, "it looks good – it still has you with the jeans, but the white top brightens everything up!" She remarks, scanning over me.
"I would wear something like it as well," Hinata notes.
My smile grew into a knowing grin. If I was right about Kisaki having some form of history with Hinata, perhaps exuding the same type of energy she does would get me far.
Manipulating the manipulator.
Taking this thought into action, I began to monitor Hinata's mannerisms and way of speaking. The way she lifts her hand to her chin when she thinks, or bounce slightly when she gets excited.
"Do you think I could borrow this for a bit – I'll return it in one piece, I promise," I state, and Emma turns on her heels to face me.
Emma gives a smile, "of course, I trust you," she agrees, before picking up my own oversized shirt, scanning over it for a moment until suddenly decided to put it on over her cropped singlet, "only if I get to keep this in the mean time," she bargains.
Hinata gave Emma a knowing glance, "yeah sure," I concur to her agreement, beginning to walk over to the door, "anyways, sorry to cut this hang out short – but I gotta get going, [parent/guardian] wants me back early for one of those family dinners," I explain, picking up my shoes as I exit.
"See ya' then, [y/n]!" Emma bids farewell, with Hinata following up behind to give her own parting words.
Giving one last wave over my shoulder, and tying on my shoes, I exit out the front door.
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As I walked home, the sun began it's perpetual decent from the horizon. On a whim, I decided to take the scenic route home, passing by the park I knew all too well from my childhood.
Throwing my hands in my pockets, feeling them become numb from the winter's breeze, I then notice a familiar figure nonchalantly relaxed against the park bench across the play ground.
I took a pause, before turning my direction from the pathway onto the grass area, striding over to the familiar head of rosy pink hair.
"Hey, Sanzu," I call, making my presence known.
He kept his posture relaxed, his down turned eyes raising to meet my own.
Sanzu didn't give any words of acknowledgment, only cocking his head to the side before gesturing with his chin to the bench in silent beckoning for me to sit down beside him.
Taking up on his offer, I eased onto the bench, while also keeping a small distance between us.
There were a few minutes of comfortable silence between us, both gazing off towards the clear sunset, listening to the birds calling out their last cries before settling in for sleep.
I then decide to turn my attention to my company on my right, whose head was now tipped back and eyes closed as if he was asleep. Sanzu's hair was now completely out of his face, falling back behind his ear, however face mask still covering up most of everything.
"I missed hanging out with you," I comment, causing Sanzu to open his eyes and give a side glance, "god, we always got into trouble – yet you always seemed to get us out of it," I reminisce, looking up towards the sky to smile to myself.
"I missed it too," Sanzu speaks up, and I turn back to face him.
My eyes downcast, "why did you stop coming around?" I ask the burning question.
Sanzu's eyes closed once again; and I knew that it was his way of hiding, "I thought I would scare you," he replies, voice ever so calm.
"Scare me?" I repeat back, surprised by his answer.
Sanzu leans back up, coming to face my fully, "the scars," he answers, tone an octave higher.
"You don't have to hide them from me," I utter, maintaining a confident tone.
Sanzu stares holes into me, before reaching up to slide off his black face mask.
Two uneven degloved scars ran across the corners of his lips, skin raised into an odd shade of white and mix of pinks. I kept a completely placid expression, knowing Sanzu was searching for any form of negative reaction.
I come back to meet Sanzu's eyes, "see, it's fine," I respond, keeping my body completely relaxed and unfazed.
Sanzu sighs, falling back into the position he was in previously, raising his hand to rub at his mouth. With his free hand, he reaches into his pocket to pull out two items, placing one in between his lips.
I was about to scrunch my nose up, but soon realised it wasn't a cigarette he was lighting.
Taking a long drag of the blunt he held, he then let out a cloud of smoke. The scent drifted around, and I found myself not minding the earthy almost herbal smell.
Sanzu let out a deep sigh, soon coming to notice me observing him. Holding the blunt between his index finger and thumb, he passes it towards me.
"It'll calm you," he explains, as if I didn't know the effects of weed.
Thinking over the offer, I decide to reach out and hold it the same way he was, lifting it towards my mouth.
"Take a deep breath, hold it for a couple seconds before releasing," Sanzu states.
Following along, I suck in to feel my mouth instantly dry out. I only managed to hold it for a few moments before my body began to hack it back up.
Taking the blunt away from my mouth, I quickly pass it back to Sanzu, not wanting to cough onto him.
"Shit–" was all I managed to say in between fits, eyes beginning to water as I heave in oxygen.
Looking over, I see Sanzu giving a smile for the first time I've seen in years, before taking another hit – more gracefully than I had just done.
"You'll wanna take another drag for it to do anything," Sanzu states, holding the blunt back towards me.
Clicking my tongue, I retake the joint, once again feeling the smoke dry out my throat and have another coughing fit. After handing it back, I lean onto the wooden bench the same way Sanzu is, tipping my head back to stare off into the orange sky.
"I should've been there that day to stop Mikey," I speak out, face falling, "and before you say that 'I deserved it' bullshit – you didn't," I state before Sanzu could cut me off.
I didn't need to look up to see his almost shocked expression, keeping silent as I continue, "I know I was friends with Mikey first, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I really did care about you then, and now," I rant, not sure if it was because I've been sitting on these feelings for years or because the weed just opened my mouth.
Leaning back up, I shift to fully face Sanzu once again, "I care and respect you; not just as the fifth division's vice-captain, but as one of my long-time friends," I then finish my declaration.
Sanzu stayed utterly still, until he slumped against the bench, "hah," he let out a small huff, face cracking a wide smile, "hahaha," he then began to laugh, swaying his head to the side.
I couldn't contain my own smile, seemingly beginning to laugh at his laughing. My body began to feel light, as if I've never felt any anxiety in my life, as Sanzu and I shared a random outburst of laughter.
Sanzu then lurched forwards slowly, resting his head on my shoulder, and I felt the shaking in his body come to a close from chuckling. He pressed his side into mine, and I felt his hair tickle against the base of my neck.
I soon came down from my laughing as well, peace refilling the air.
"Hey, [l/n]," Sanzu calls, drawing back my attention from staring into nothingness.
"Yeah," I reply.
"Call me Haruchiyo," he states, voice becoming softer.
I give a small smile, "then call me [y/n], Haruchiyo."
I felt the muscle in his cheek pull against my shoulder, knowing he was as well smiling.
"Hey, [y/n]," Sanzu calls out again.
"Yeah," I repeat.
"Can we stay like this awhile?" He asks.
And without remembering about my set curfew, I reply with,
"Sure."
| 2240 words |