f a s h i o n i s t a

Okina is loud. Loud, too loud – compared to Inaba, at least. He already feels suffocated, almost like the air is turning to dust within him, aching lungs screaming. Carrying shop bags it’s not a problem, not all. Problem is that there are too many. Of course naught would leave pursed lips for the time being, will slip away this concession, not worth struggling in a subject like this. Looking for respite in the nearest bench, he settles in as he draws out a tiring exhalation. Not heeding to Ai’s demands to keep walking, tiers curve upward to form a nonchalant smile.

    Naturally, her ‘boyfriend’ just had to pick this exact moment to take a break.

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” she chided as the boy visibly began to catch his breath. “I didn’t even buy that much. Now hurry up, or we’ll miss the sale over at KK!”

     She hadn’t expected Yu to smile at her, much less speak. Ai could feel her perfectly shaped brows involuntarily raise at not only his words, but the ease with which he said them, and that stupid smile of his only seemed to grow in response to her shocked expression. He may have caught her off guard, but the prima donna wasn’t one to lose; she quickly offered a confident smile of her own.

“This town has plenty of capable boys like you -- all I have to do is pick one.”

     Of course, these so-called ‘capable boys’ weren’t as smart or as cute as Yu, but Ai saw no reason to mention that. She took another look at her phone and sighed; even if she were to leash the boy and drag him to KK, there was no way they’d make it in time for the sale. Ai strolled over to Yu, carelessly pushing the shopping bags aside to make room for herself on the bench. In the end, she supposed it didn’t matter -- it’s not like she couldn’t afford the jewelry without the sale, anyway.

There is no helping it. The only way Yukito is capable of approaching a girl, beyond the comfortable exception of his childhood friend, is through a practiced, almost businesslike means of address. 

Well, at least it keeps me on the safe side, he inwardly attempts to assure himself.

     Amagi Yukito, better known as the Amagi Challenge among Yasogami High School’s students and faculty alike. While she didn’t share her classmates’ infatuation -- her type leaned more towards the athletic -- Ai could see what all the fuss was about: Amagi was good-looking, well-mannered, and came from a respectable family. He was practically a modern-day prince, and didn’t every girl want to be a princess at least once in her life?

“You’re the last guy I’d expect to play messenger boy. Why didn’t they just call me down to the office themselves?” It was a rhetorical question; they didn’t call her because they knew she wouldn’t have showed up. Ai, who’d been in the middle of organizing her locker when the boy approached her, retrieved an expensive-looking handbag and slung it over her shoulder. A couple other students walked by, whispering loudly among themselves; Ai wondered if they’d get the wrong idea, seeing the two of them together.

    The only time that this specific came in handy, was the fact that Nanako felt she needed another woman’s advice on how to give a gone woman flowers. And Ai was a very smart lady. Very pretty too. Just like the ones on Tv! So, she had to have known how to handle these things and what to do. All adults did, thats why Nanako looked up to them. Besides having no other physical choice.

“The Shrine? Daddy and I go there for festivals and things…..and sometimes me and the other kids go there if like….one of us gets dared to. But not…..really?”

    The mention of wishes and prayers brought a new light to the eyes full of hope. Could she leave the flowers and make a wish? Would that be selfish? What could she even wish for? She had so many wishes. Too many wishes that filled that brain of hers that she’d need a good while to think of one.

“I -- you want to go? Right now?”

     Once again, Ai looked towards the stairs for help, only to receive none. Where the hell was Yu? Did it always take him this long to get ready? She was beginning to suspect that he was intentionally avoiding her. The prima donna returned her attention to Nanako and smiled. “Well, I guess we could... I mean, if that’s what you want to do.” Saying “no” had become second nature to Ai, especially when it came to losers asking her out, but Nanako was a different story. Her private outing with Narukami could wait.

Paper flowers are held tight to her chest as if they were her favorite comfort toy, and a look of confusion adorning her. Mothers day had always been a bit of an…awkward day for her for the past four years. How was she supposed to handle any of this? How could she show her mother appreciation now? 

     She’d seen Nanako around town a few times before Yu’s arrival, either at Samegawa or Junes, but they had just started talking and getting to know one another. Maybe that was why Ai was so taken aback when the little girl asked her such a delicate question.

“Oh, um, that’s... That’s a good question, Nanako-chan,” the prima donna managed to reply, sitting up from her rather languid, bored-looking position on the couch. She glanced at the stairwell, hoping she could call Yu downstairs right now through sheer will -- an endeavor she soon abandoned. While she didn’t know much about the Dojimas, Yu had told her enough that she knew what Nanako had meant by her mother being “gone,” even if the little girl didn’t.

Come on, Ai, think!

uptown girl. billy joel.

     After what must have felt like an eternity, Ai finally said, “You didn’t even look.” She looked down at herself, at the colorful and expensive dress she was wearing, then turned away.

"My spli’ ends? Yeah. I reckon i’ would preven’ ‘em, Sugarcube. Bu’ i’s only tha tips. Cain’ ge’ rid o’ spli’ ends, ya know. Only way ta fix ‘em is ta cut ‘em. An’ do i’ while i’s shor’ so tha’ i’ won’ spread, an’ ya hafta cut off more. Ya know?"

{/Her helpful advice, while a bit rude in a sense, she was grateful. Nicole knew she had a few, but not that many. She just simply reminded her she needed to cut them off before they got any worse. A bite of her cake pop, a moment to quickly jot down the name brand of that shampoo in her commonplace book, and she looks back to the stranger, a polite and grateful nod being given for her advice.}

"If you want, I could grab a drink and join you. I know lots of tricks when it comes to hair." Ai paused, leaning in to get a better look at the other girl's face. Having obtained the information she needed, the prima donna returned to her original, poised stance. "--and other beauty secrets, too."

"Excuse me?" Ai recoiled, visibly taken aback by how passionately he had rejected her offer. And after she'd gone out of her way to be kind! Ai's cheeks flushed in both anger and embarrassment. "F-fine! Bleed all over yourself, see if I care! In fact, you'd be doing that shirt you're wearing a favor!"

> Ai brusquely offers you a handkerchief.

"—Huh?"

"Well?" she demanded, clearly annoyed. "Are you gonna take it or not?"