Week Eleven, Thursday
Ayano wakes up with one goal in mind, and that is to finish filing the rest of the papers. She’s almost done, and she knows that, with morning time and club time combined, she can finally finish the job and get a new task. Or just get a break. Either option is fine with Ayano, but at this point she just wants a change in her routine. Something new, however miniscule, to spice things up in life. She’s a simple girl, but even she likes to break routines.
However, she doesn’t mind the part of her routine where she steps out of her house and is immediately greeted by the eight boys that she loves. That part can stay the same, thank you very much. And the walk to school, where she gets to talk to them about their previous evenings and what they all plan to do for the day.
Somehow, the conversation ends up on the subject of personal interests, specifically the topic of favorites. Ayano finds herself bombarded with question after question by her friends, all asking her about what she likes.
“Darling, what’s your favorite flower?” Kizano asks first, and Ayano blushes.
“Roses,” she says, remembering the bouquets that she was given after her first performance. She has two of them pressed in a book, one from Osano and one from Amao. The two boys blush at that, looking at each other as if they know what she’s thinking of.
“Let me guess, princess, your favorite candy is chocolate, then?” Osorō asks, rolling his eyes.
“Yeah. It tastes good.” Ayano shrugs, thinking of all of her time in the Cooking Club. Then she giggles. “But I’m also a fan of red velvet.”
Osorō snorts as Amao’s blush deepens.
“Do you like jewelry, Senpai?” Hanakō asks.
Ayano shrugs again. “Not particularly. Why?”
Hanakō eyes her oddly. “Well, because you always wear that choker! I thought you must really like it if you’re always wearing it?”
Ayano touches the black heart, smiling. “It’s one of my only pieces.” The others are from her mother, in an attempt for her to doll herself up and find a guy. “But this one is my favorite, because Oko gave it to me as a gift.” She smiles at Oko, who blushes and smiles back.
Hanakō nods at that. “So, you wouldn’t wear any others?”
Ayano shrugs. “Not any of the pieces I have right now. They’re not exactly meaningful to me. This one is.”
Osano opens his mouth, but Ayano cuts him off by asking, “Why are you guys so interested all of a sudden?”
All of the boys stay silent for a moment. Unsurprisingly, it’s Aso who pipes up first.
“We just want to know some more about you, Yan! We always talk, but it never hurts to learn even more.” He beams, and Ayano nods.
“Well, I’d like to get to know more about all of you, too. So, what’s all of your favorite flowers?” Ayano looks at all of the boys.
Osano sputters. “Our favorite flowers? Nobody asks guys about their-”
“Sunflowers,” Osorō says first, without any hesitation. “They’re tall. Like trees, but they said screw it and refused to be short just because they’re flowers.”
Ayano giggles. “That sounds like your kind of flower.”
Hanakō beams. “I like cherry blossoms!”
Osano snorts. “That’s because Taro likes the cherry trees.”
“Yep! It’s nice to spend time enjoying stuff together with him.”
Amao smiles. “That’s sweet. My favorite has to be peonies. They’re nice to look at, and they’re not too bright or distracting.”
“Okay, but there’s cool looking flowers too!” Aso cuts in. “I like morning glories! They’re blue and this one lady gave me some because she always saw me running before sunrise. She called me one.” He grins at the memory, and Ayano smiles, glad to see him happy.
Oko clears his throat. “I like bleeding hearts...mostly for the name, though.”
Megamo rolls his eyes, but there’s no annoyance in the expression. Instead, he grins. “I prefer the calla lily or the lily of the valley. They’re both rather pristine looking.”
Ayano nods. “And what about you, Kizano?”
Kizano scoffs. “Why, roses, of course! I am an actor, what else would be expected?”
It makes sense. Finally, everyone looks to Osano.
“So, Osano, what’s your favorite?” Amao asks.
Osano sputters. “Why would I-”
“He likes tulips,” Hanakō says.
Osano huffs. “I like their pink color.”
Ayano smiles at Osano. “That’s a nice choice. Those are pretty.” Then she lets the conversation shift away, allowing Osano to huff and join into the conversation, as if he hadn’t been embarrassed by the question.
When Ayano and her crushes get to the school, she and Megamo head straight for the Student Council room. When they get there, Ayano gets straight to work, refusing to let herself be distracted. The morning flies by, and soon enough Ayano is in class.
Luckily for her, Mido is especially passionate about today’s subjects, and classes are quick, filled with lecturing and notes. Ayano is heading up to the roof for lunch before she knows it.
Lunch seems to pass by too easily. Ayano finds her day going by in a rush, and she can’t help but wish that time would slow as she spends it with her friends. She tries to grasp on to every second, every smile and word sent her way, and she takes it all with gratitude. She basks in the presence of her friends and loves, trying to find enough time to talk to each of her friends that sit with her at lunch. But the time slips by before she can grab on, and soon enough Ayano is back in class, already waiting for her next chance to just talk to the people she cares about.
When the bell rings, ending the school day, Ayano enjoys talking to Osano and Kizano during cleaning time. But the minutes pass quickly when she’s talking with them, and soon she’s heading to the Student Council room.
All five members are already there, getting ready to work, whether that’s patrol or writing. Ayano sits down at her filing cabinet, hopping straight into her work. As she reads, the other members go in and out of the room. Even Megamo leaves at one point, taking some papers to the Faculty Room. He comes back with even more papers, and he sighs when he sets them down. There’s silence for a moment, then Ayano’s ears are greeted by the sound of classical music playing from Megamo’s phone.
It’s while listening to his music that Ayano finishes the last paper. Letting out a small cheer, Ayano shuts the cabinet, the top of it finally clear of any papers. She turns to Megamo with a wide smile.
“I finished!” Ayano cheers, and Megamo looks up at her and chuckles.
“I’m glad, Angel. There’s still twenty minutes left, though.”
One glance at the clock proves this, and Ayano hums. “What should I do, then?”
An idea comes to mind then, as if whispered from behind the door. “Ask her to dance,” The voice whispers.
Ayano blinks. That’s...not something she would think.
Megamo stands up and walks over to the door. Throwing it open, he glares at Shiromi, who just winks and walks away, the same smirk on her face as always. With a huff, Megamo shuts the door after checking for any other eavesdropping students.
Ayano giggles. “A dance?” She asks, amused. “I don’t remember the last time I danced, I doubt I’m very good at it.”
Megamo blushes. “I can..I can teach you how.”
Ayano smiles. “I’d love that.”
Stiffly, as if he’s not sure either, Megamo holds out a hand. Ayano lays one of hers on top, like she’s seen in her mother’s movies. She places the other one on his shoulder, he places his on her waist, and then they begin. Step by step, they begin to waltz in a slow, easy circle. It’s peaceful, and Ayano feels radiant as he gives her all of his attention, eyes locked on hers. She can’t help but beam at him, and soon enough they’re striding all around the room, matching each other pace for pace.
Sure, she stumbles a few times, but by the time the bell rings, the two are smiling and happy and it’s perfect.
They’re still holding hands when they head to the gate, and they stay that way the whole walk home.
In twenty minutes, Ayano feels closer to icy eyed boy. And in the walk home, she grows even closer to the other seven, too. Just like every moment she spends with them, she learns even more.
Just like every moment, she falls more in love.
The walls quiver and tremble.
Notes:
I don't know why, but I *really* wanted that dancing scene. I've been searching for a reason to put that in, because the mental image is too cute to pass up (sadly I cannot draw, so writing it out is the best I could do).
We have one chapter left, guys! And while one story may be closing, another story is about to be started, and I hope to find more time to work on it, because I want to bring my next story to you all as quickly as I possibly can!
Until later, au revoir! <3
1567 words.