"Oi, Chizuru. I observed that you've befriended mostly guys recently, but I cant still believe that you don't still have a boyfriend yet." Said Ayase with a slight annoyance with her friend, smiling in front of her PSP, playing an otome game.
"Ah, I don't have to be worried about them not liking me in a romantic way. They're good buddies and friends anyway." Replied Chizuru with full of conviction even she's totally absorbed in what she's playing right now.
Ayase gently puts down her friend's hands that is still holding the gaming console and made her look into her eyes.
"Chizuru, I'm getting married next year."
"I won't be baited in the same joke you're cracking up on me in this nth time. Hahahaha!"
Her friend remained silent with a sincere expression in her face.
"You're kidding right?"
Ayase then holds her friend's hands firmly.
"O-oh... Congratulations bestfriend! I'm so happy that you're going to marry now." Chizuru said, surprised and hugged her friend unable to determine what's she's supposed to feel. Ayase then pats her back while hugged by her geeky friend.
"So is the baby on the way?"
"No, not yet. I have to save up first."
From the petty childish bickering of the two friends turned into a mature conversation.
Chizuru sighed here and there unable to believe that she's left out with her friends who are dating someone, getting married, and got married with children. And there she is, still ogling at her 2D boyfriends and acting immaturely. She then started thinking to reconsider going to blind dates. She joined a blind date before with her former college friends but didn't turned out well so she stopped joining in and let herself be with her cat-boyfriend-Pillow for good.
She paid a visit at Tohru's because Hotaru is not yet around. She finds her two friends, Tohru and Masamune having a break.
"I can't believe you also gave Chizuru of your spare apartment key." Masamune said.
"Yeah, she's my housekeeper afterall." Tohru chuckled.
"Hey! Don't act like I'm your maid and a babysitter." Chizuru retorted.
As a trusted friend Tohru gave her his key so that she can get inside even if he's unable to open the door for her because he passed out because its either he played ero-games all night long or pulled an all-nighter for his manga.
She snuck her feet at the kotatsu and made a long sigh before pulling out her game console.
"You often hang out with us recently Chizuru-chan. Don't you have a boyfriend to spend time with?"
Masamune asked with curiosity.
Chizuru laid down her console then faked a sob to make Masamune console her, she knows well that his job to comfort females. Masamune was baited by it and began holding her hands.
"What's the matter? Did you just broke- up with your boyfriend?" Masamune asked once more.
"I don't have a boyfriend."
The pissed off Chizuru-chan, every now and then felt like she's the ugliest woman in the world, not having a boyfriend, twisted the host's hands furiously that almost broke-off.
"O-oww, stop it Chizuru." Masmune begged, almost teary eyed from the pain. Masamune have gone through lots of physical abuse from his female amazon friends that he believed that his charm will work-out with them.
"Oh, I should warn you Mattsun that never disturb her while playing with her video games." Tohru warned his friend.
"You should have said that earlier Yukki."
"How's the pain? Does it feel good? Hehehehe."
After a while, Chizuru became tired in her video games, laid her head at the top of the kotatsu observing her two friends. She's thinking deeply about having a boyfriend candidate.
Masamune is not her ideal one, despite having good looks and a talent at cooking, his work as a host is a complete hindrance. While Tohru on the other hand is just your creepy do-M pervert that devotes his time on his lewd videogames and manga.
"Hey Chizuru. Want to help me cook dinner?"Masamune asked.
Chizuru nods and helped him in the kitchen. She's still not in the presence of mind that she constantly stab the potatoes and screeching the fork in the mixing bowl. The worried Masamune asked her to leave the kitchen before she makes an accident.
"That's unusual, why did Mattsun kicked you out from the kitchen?"
She didn't answered Tohru and made a long sigh slumping at the kotatsu.
While eating their dinner Masamune finally mustered to ask his depressed friend whats wrong. Chizuru finally confessed that she has been surprised with her friend's sudden engagement and she's to be married next year. It made that clear to them why's she's so depressed.
Finally leaving her workplace after a long day of tiresome work, she was invited her colleagues to go to a blind date. She took the opportunity and joined them to forget her worries. The meeting place is at the Karaoke, she's kinda excited to sing anime songs in there.
"Y-you?" The two simultaneously said to each other.
They're about to meet those who will they blind date with, Chizuru found out that Hosokawa Haruki is one of them.
"You know each other? That's great!" Said one of her colleagues.
"Hey Hosokawa-san, you lucky bastard. I didn't knew that you are friends with this cute chick." Whispered the other man Haruki was with.
"Nah, I just acquainted with her recently."
In their blind date, there are four pairs Haruki and Chizuru included. Chizuru, being a great singer was able to charm the guys more except Haruki of course who only sees her as an annoyance.
After a while, Chizuru is approached by the guys and kept asking her random questions. She saw Haruki went outside and also followed him to avoid the guys.
"Hey! Haruki wait!"
"What? Are you going to follow me in the restroom?"
"No. I just want to ask you something. I need to talk to you."
Haruki who also want to avoid the girls asking him random questions agrees with her. Afterall, he have no choice but to be with Chizuru.
They sat in the bench in an open space of the building. He opens up to her being able to return to Team Toy Gun Gun but he's still feeling uneasy with Masamune even if he's nice with him because of the guilt he still carries after he said mean things to them. On the other hand, he's not in good terms with Yukimura that boils down for Hotaru who he can really open up with. He confesses that the crossdressing girl is really a handful to deal with because she acts like a ten year old boy and yet to tell to their other two team mates about Hotaru's true gender. Chizuru attentively listened to the guy.
Just when they finished their convos, because the chilling breeze from outside, Haruki lifts his black hoodie to cover his head that made Chizuru remember the guy that she ran into at Echizen's.
"Hey Haruki. Could you be the person I ran into at the toy gun shop?"
"Hmm, beats me. Oh, you're the clumsy lady bumped at a few months ago." Haruki said apathetically.
"Well yeah, I did hear you say that I'm 'clumsy' and airheaded bitch from before glaring at me like that!"
Chizuru became furious and started twisting his arm from behind that made him fell to the ground and wrestle him until he whines from pain.
"S-sorry from before... I'm really sorry!"
"Hah! This is not enough from what you have said to me."
Just when she's able to kick Haruki. Haruka, the lil bro caught them on act, Chizuru hurting his beloved onii-san.
"Hey! What are you doing to him! I knew it you're no good with my brother!"
The furious twin brother dragged her arm. Haruki finally got up, still groaning from pain and dragged Chizuru back to him, but still, his brother won't let go with her arms.
"I'm going to move her away from you onii-san. Can't you see that she's already hurting you?"
"Let her go Haruka. We will return to our friends inside."
Haruka refuses to let go and to sum it up, they're already caught the attention of the strangers, passersby and their blind date buddies in the mall.
Instead of her colleagues helping the poor Chizuru, they are in awe seeing their friend like they are watching a soap opera.
Finally, Hotaru who appears to be in the mall also, interrupted them and retrieved her Onee-san from the scene.
"Thank you very much Hotaru."
"No biggie. I'm quite intrigued by those twins who kept chasing and arguing with each other."
"Y-yeah. I don't think only Haruki has a problem, its also Haruka acts a little bit clingy with him."
"Eeeh! I really can't imagine you wooed the twins and a high school boy at the same time. I thought you're only into 2D guys." Teased her friend Ayase hearing the things that happened yesterday.
"I can't believe that my peaceful otaku life will be ruined meeting those oversized kids." Chizuru complained, already rubbing her temples.
GLOSARRY:
Onee-chan(noun)- Big sister/ Older sister