Model Idol Combi: there's always that first date

[jitensha]

[ Makoto had heard it on the highest authority (Miki) that girls should always be fashionably late to their dates. It left the guy 'frothing with desire', or something like that. And she'd dwelt on it, she really had, even as she sifted through her closet for the sixth time.

Makoto has always been Makoto, though, and that meant she didn't feel right purposely taking her time. It's why she's waiting near the entrance-- has been waiting for ten minutes with the long black skirt and the white shirt with the artfully placed frills and the red heels that click so cutely when she walks. It's a far cry from the jeans and sweatshirts she usually runs around in.

But she'd like to think it's not bad. ]

Comments

[ex_doubly406]

[...?????]

Me as a bear? Was I a cute one?

[jitensha]

No, as... you.

[ can they discuss something else now-- ]

1/2

[ex_doubly406]

Ah, that's...

['It's not too different from what I used to do before' but who is he kidding, it's totally different now. They're not just friends anymore.]

[ex_doubly406]

Right, I see, that must have been...

[...]

S-So, did you want anything else? I can get you another bear!

[jitensha]

T-that's okay! At this rate, there won't be enough room at the office!

[ex_doubly406]

Ah, I see, it'd be like a zoo instead of an office!

[AHAHA... HA... Wow this got awkward.]

[jitensha]

Right! And we have enough of one when Hibiki brings her animals in...

[ HE SHOULD HAVE JUST NOT ASKED. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[BUT HE WANTED TO KNOW. Oh well, he's learned his lesson. Sort of.]

She's the one with the animal show, right? [A moment of silence, for Kise who looks like he's thinking when in actuality he's not.] Um, then why don't we go for smaller prizes? Isn't it boring to only play one game?

[jitensha]

Yeah... [ and Makoto's quiet for a moment as well, gaze lingering on the waiting stands and distant, like she's recalling something. Then she gives her newfound bear a squeeze. ] Then, let's hit up all of the games! I'm sure we can do something with the prizes, even if you don't want to keep anything.

[ex_doubly406]

--Eh?! All of them?!

[Makoto no, he didn't bring enough money for this. You're going to starve.]

[jitensha]

All of them! I've got enough money!

[ yep. ]

[ex_doubly406]

[...]

Makocchi, don't tell me you're one of those.

[jitensha]

One of what?

[ex_doubly406]

A game addict! One of those people who stay forever trying for a prize!

[jitensha]

No, Dad never would have let that happen. [ matter-of-fact. ] But something like this definitely wouldn't take me forever.

[ex_doubly406]

Ah... But I'm not worried about that, we can stay here for as long as you'd like.

[It's just you keep ruining my princess plans!!!

Yeah he still hasn't given up. He was planning to buy her everything sob.]

[jitensha]

You look worried, though.

[ which in turn concerns her, and wow, yeah, she's really bad at this princess thing. ]

[ex_doubly406]

I'm not! [So convincing with that frown, because ugh this wasn't what he wanted.] That's not what I'm worried about.

[jitensha]

[ AHA. She shifts the bear yet again and taps a finger to his down-turned lips, an action that should probably fluster her. But not now. ]

But you're worried about something.

[ex_doubly406]

[He flinches, surprised]

I'm not--

[No, that's not good either.]

... I wanted to get this right, that's all.

[jitensha]

[ oh.

It's rare to end up in a situation where Kise doesn't seem so self-assured, especially where he's got vast amounts of experience. But to hear him echo her own thoughts...

it makes Makoto wonder if, just maybe, they've been going at this with the wrong idea in mind. ]

I've been making it hard on you, huh?

[ex_doubly406]

[What--]

No, that's not it! You're fine the way you are, Makocchi! You haven't been making this hard at all!

[Except she has, but he's not going to let her feel bad about that.]

[jitensha]

[ as gullible as she can be, as desperate for confirmation, Makoto isn't stupid. Not when it comes to knowing herself, knowing that she isn't the typical girl who can flutter like a proper princess and swoon over romantic advances. Sometimes, she'd like to be.

The rest of the time, she knows better, and her smile only carries a trace of something bittersweet when she looks at him. ]

Even if that was true, I'm not like any of the girls you've dated before, right? But... you don't have to force it. I'm honestly happy that I'm here with you, right now, and no matter what happens, where we go or what we do-- how we do it, that doesn't change the fact that I'm on a date with you, and that's the most important thing to me. You can't get more right than that.

[ex_doubly406]

[She doesn't lie. He knows that, and that whole spiel about how right this is for her makes that 'I like you too much to ever hate you' echo inside.

She's still... really really amazing. It's almost unreal. Somehow, doesn't that make it all worth it? He leans down so that he can properly hold that one hand that isn't clinging onto the giant bear.]

That sounds like a love confession. Even though I couldn't treat you like a princess, you still fell for me?

[His thumb goes over her knuckles, and you'd have a hard time convincing anyone who's watching that he's not thinking about kissing her hand.]

Thanks.

[jitensha]

[ surely some of the vendors and park-goers have got to be wondering what on earth is going on with the short-haired girl in the long skirt and the tall attractive guy with the hat and sunglasses, but at least no one's interrupting.

Which is just as well, because as much as Makoto can be sincere, she's just as honest with her reactions, and Kise holding her hand in a more intimate grip than the usual so far isn't curbing the flush of her cheeks. ]

I wouldn't be a proper princess, anyway. You don't have to try to get me to like you.

[ and then she laughs and wraps her fingers around his. ]

But you're welcome!