Week Ten, Saturday
Ayano wakes up to cheerful pop music playing in her room. She hums along, opening her eyes to see Tokuko and Kokona sitting in a line, with Kokona singing to the lyrics as she curls Tokuko's hair. Kokona's hair is currently uncurled, and despite all of their previous sleepovers, Ayano always finds the look unfamiliar.
That doesn't mean it's an unpleasant look. Kokona looks really pretty with her hair down, actually. Perhaps Ayano should convince her to leave it uncurled one day. Even if it's just to see Riku's reaction.
Tokuko glances at Ayano and smiles. "Good morning, Ayano. Did you sleep well?"
Kokona grins and quickly adds her own, "Morning, Yan!" Then she goes back to Tokuko's hair.
"I did. How about you two?" Ayano responds, sitting up on her bed.
The two girls respond positively, and the three chat for a moment before Ayano heads to the bathroom. When she comes back, she checks her phone and giggles.
"What's up, Yan?" Kokona asks, finally setting down the curling iron. Tokuko turns and begins to work on Kokona's hair immediately.
"Amao texted me. Apparently, Hanakō tried to help bake." Ayano giggles again, interrupting herself.
Kokona cringes. " Tried? "
Ayano nods, grinning. "He tried adding olive oil."
Tokuko blinks. "Olive oil? To what, exactly?"
" Everything. "
She pauses, setting down the curling iron. "But they're baking?"
"Yes."
Tokuko looks at Kokona and Ayano, and both just shrug. Then Ayano's phone buzzes, and she laughs once more. Amao sent an image, and it's just Osano's shocked face as he watches Hanakō pour cooking oil into a mixing bowl.
' He thinks you need half a bottle to bake a cake...in the batter. ' Amao sends soon after. ' We had to dump the whole batch worth. Hanakō is now getting sent to buy new ingredients .'
Ayano reads the text out loud, and Tokuko wordlessly goes back to Kokona's hair. Kokona just tries not to laugh, afraid of accidentally being burned.
Ayano texts Amao back, wishing him luck, then reads random stuff online until the girls are done with their hair. Then the three just gossip about whatever until it's time to eat lunch. Ayano makes enough soup for all of them, and after they eat they all get dressed for the day. Ayano pulls on a light blue dress, Kokona puts on a pink blouse and a white skirt, and Tokuko wears a dark purple dress that perfectly matches her hair. Then they all put on makeup, or rather, Ayano watches Kokona and Tokuko do their makeup before they both fuss with Ayano's. Her hair also ends up being done, and she quickly has her hair lightly curled by Tokuko before she has a chance to say anything.
As soon as Ayano is ready, the three girls head to the school, ready to begin.
The Cooking and Gardening Club members are already there, getting ready for the play. Even Osorō is helping set up, talking to Osano as they put up a table.
"Hey, guys," Ayano calls out as she passes. She walks by them before they answer, and misses the three matching blushes on her friends' faces.
When Ayano gets backstage, Kizano only stops for a moment to greet the three girls before speeding off, heading for the stage to get the first scene ready. Ayano slips into the changing area, and puts on her first costume for Check, Please .
The time before the play flies, and soon enough the gym is full, all of Akademi waiting for their one acts. Kizano proudly introduces the three plays, the lights go dim, and then the curtain is drawing back, and Ayano has become Girl. She's quickly pulled into the most chaotic dating scene ever, going from guys who only love themselves to guys who fear everything, to a guy wearing a burlap sack - Ayano is glad that this isn't her real life. By the time the first play ends, she's happy with the ending, where she and Kizano happily leave the stage together.
The next two plays fly by, and Ayano enjoys taking the background and making it her spotlight. She can see Kizano enjoys it, too, despite his protests in the beginning. She's glad for the change, and hopes Kizano won't typecast her as his lead for the next play.
When the last play ends, and bows are done, Ayano watches the curtains close, then heads out to see the crowd. She smiles and thanks a few of her peers who compliment her, but quickly searches out her closer friends.
She quickly finds some of them in the crowd. Miyuji and Musume sit beside Oko, Hanakō, and Aso, and all five happily greet her when she walks over.
"Girl, that was epic! You totally rocked it!" Miyuji cheers, and Ayano beams.
"Thanks, Miyuji. I'm glad you guys enjoyed the plays." Ayano smiles.
Aso and Hanakō are quick to pull her into a hug.
"Yan, that was so good! You were the star, even when you didn't have the main role!" Aso cheers, pulling Ayano even closer. Ayano giggles and thanks him. A few minutes later, she steps away, heading off to see who else came to watch.
Mido and Mujo wave her over. They're standing near the wall, forgotten by the students and able to cuddle in the background. Ayano talks to them for a few moments, listening as Mujo happily talks about the night before, and how Mido had cooked them spaghetti because wow, Mido is so romantic. Ayano nods along to the whole spiel, enjoying how flustered Mido looks the longer Mujo rambles.
She only stops listening when Mujo stops talking, face pink. "Oh!" He gasps. "I've been keeping you. It looks like someone wants to talk to you. I'll see you in school, dearie."
Ayano turns around, and sees Megamo. He's dressed nicely, wearing a white button down shirt and black dress pants. He blushes when she looks at him, and she says goodbye to the two men before walking over to Megamo.
"Hey," she greets.
"Hi," Megamo responds. "You were phenomenal, Angel."
She blushes, the compliment and nickname making her feel warm. "Thank you, Megamo. I'm glad you came."
He reaches up, brushes a stray hair out of her face. "I promised you, didn't I?"
"Yes."
She doesn't get anymore words out, cut off when Megamo leans down and presses a kiss to her forehead. "I will never break a promise I made you, Angel. Ever." He locks eyes with her, and his gaze is determined and sincere.
Ayano feels her face growing even hotter. "Thank you, I-"
She's cut off by someone shouting her name. She turns, and Megamo lets go of her hand- when had he taken it?- to see Osano waving to her.
"Aya!" He calls again. "We only have a few treats left if you want one!"
Ayano looks back to Megamo with a giggle. "I suppose that's my cue to leave. I'll see you on Monday, Megamo."
Megamo nods, taking a step back. "Of course. I will see you on Monday."
Ayano heads over to Osano, Amao, Osorō, and the rest of the Cooking Club, where she spends the rest of her time before leaving the gym, a cookie in hand as her last reminder of the day.
It's delicious, no cooking oil involved.
Ayano falls asleep immediately when she gets home, ready for another amazing day to come tomorrow.
Notes:
Only five chapters left, I wonder what will happen in such a short span of time...
<3
1258 words.