*************
Chapter 67
Word's counted -- 1500
Enjoy~
************
Thank you, Nikoru. The date went well," Runa said with a soft smile, calling her best friend right after returning home. She lay on her bed, scrolling through the photos they'd taken at Amagi Brilliant Park.
"We had a lot of fun… but wow, this park is really old…" she thought aloud, swiping through memories of the day.
From the other end of the line, Nikoru's voice chimed in with a bit of caution. "Is that so... If things ever turn sour, don't feel like you have to push yourself too hard, okay?" Nikoru said firmly. "You're way too kind for your own good, so you might find it tough to say what you need to say, you know?"
Runa's expression softened as she heard her friend's concern. She smiled, though Nikoru couldn't see it. "I still don't know for sure… but, when I was with Shijo, it just felt... comfortable. I could be myself—I didn't have to put on any kind of act," Runa admitted with a quiet sense of relief in her tone.
She remembered how things had been in past relationships. Back then, she'd always played a role depending on what her boyfriend wanted. If he wanted an innocent type, she'd act that way; if he liked the trendy, outgoing "gal" style, she'd dress and act the part. She used to bend over backward to make her partners happy, sometimes spending her own money to buy them things just to see them smile. But today had been different, and that difference left her feeling unexpectedly free.
"For now, I want to keep seeing him… Nikoru, I need to thank Akari too," she said, a note of gratitude in her voice as she thought of the friend who had encouraged her to reach out to Aki.
"Akari?" Nikoru asked, sounding a bit surprised.
"Yeah, for pushing me to confess to Shijo when I was feeling down," Runa said softly, reflecting on how Akari's support had given her courage.
On the other end of the line, however, Nikoru wasn't swayed so easily. "Hmph… For me, I still don't trust him," she said, her tone skeptical. "Men are all the same. He'll end up chasing after your body..."
Runa hesitated but eventually replied, "I know… I can sense it, even if he doesn't let it show on his face. I get that he probably wants that too. But, Nikoru, I feel comfortable around him. He's so kind. I don't want him to be like the others... What should I do?" she asked quietly, her voice a mix of hope and worry.
Nikoru considered her words carefully before responding. "Listen, from everything you told me about the date, it sounds like he's different. He's not using you or trying to take advantage. But I still need to be sure. If he ever suggests a motel or something... decline, okay?"
Runa chuckled softly, replying, "I know, I'll try. Goodnight, Nikoru."
"Goodnight, Runa," Nikoru said, ending the call with a sigh, feeling that familiar protective concern bubble up inside her.
After hanging up, Nikoru muttered to herself, "Sigh… 'Try,' huh? You're just too kind, Runa. I can't help but worry he'll turn out just like the others…"
--------
Nikoru sighed quietly to herself, the conversation she'd had with Runa last night still echoing in her mind. Watching from a distance as Runa walked off with Aki, her eyes narrowed slightly.
"What's up with you, Nikoru?" Akari's voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her back to the present. She looked at her friend's face, raised eyebrows showing her confusion. "You've been totally lost in your own world since this morning."
Nikoru's gaze shifted back to Runa and Aki, but she forced herself to shrug it off. "Nothing," she replied curtly, turning away as if it was no big deal. "Let's just go, Akari."
Akari pouted, sensing that Nikoru wasn't being fully honest. "Mou, aren't we going to follow them? We're going to lose them if we don't move soon," she said, half-joking, half-worried herself. "I thought you'd want to keep an eye on Runa and Shijo-kun!"
Nikoru hesitated, watching as Aki and Runa headed toward the quiet path behind the school building, For a split second, she was tempted to follow, just to make sure everything was alright. But instead, she took a steadying breath and looked away. "No, let's head home today," she said, the words sounding firmer than she felt. She hoped it was the right call, yet a hint of reluctance crept into her tone.
Akari gave her a nudge, smirking slightly. "Boring! I thought you'd be way more protective over Runa!" she teased. But Nikoru's faint smile didn't reach her eyes, and Akari caught a flash of something more—worry, maybe—as her friend turned to go.
---------
"Shijo-kun, are we really going straight home?" Runa asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
Aki glanced at her, slightly amused. "Why? Want to wander around with me?"
"Um, maybe…some shopping?" Runa suggested shyly.
Aki smiled. "Alright, hop on. Let's go for a ride."
With that, he started up his bike, and Runa climbed on, holding on tightly as they zoomed off. After a while, they arrived in front of a smartphone store. Aki parked his bike, and they headed inside.
"A mobile store?" Aki raised an eyebrow as Runa led the way in. "Were you planning on getting a new phone?"
Runa shook her head. "No, I was thinking of buying matching Osa Usa phone cases… you know, for both of us."
Aki blinked. "Matching cases? For me too? Why?"
Runa hesitated, her cheeks turning a bit pink. "Don't you want a matching case with me?"
Aki paused, caught off guard, then nodded. "Alright, let's go in."
They started toward the entrance, but Runa stopped suddenly, noticing a line of people waiting outside. "Eh… But there's a line. We can't just cut ahead of everyone; they'll be upset with us."
Aki looked over his shoulder at her, calm as ever. "Don't worry about it." He walked confidently to the front, with Runa following closely, still a bit unsure about skipping the line.
Just as they entered, a staff member approached them, noticing they hadn't waited in line. "Excuse me, sir, is there something specific you're looking for?" he asked politely, trying to gauge their urgency.
"Yes. Could you call the store manager?" Aki asked, not wasting a moment.
The staff member raised his brows, a bit surprised by the direct request. "Certainly… May I know who I should say is asking for him?"
Aki reached into his wallet and handed the staff member a sleek black card with intricate platinum details.
The staff member's eyes widened as he looked at the card, uncertain of its significance but sensing its importance. "Oh… please, have a seat! I'll go notify the manager right away." He gestured for them to sit in the waiting area, then hurried off.
Curious, Runa looked at Aki. "What was that card? I've never seen anything like it."
"Just my bank card," Aki replied casually.
"Your bank card?" Runa asked, puzzled. "It looked so different from the one my dad has."
Aki shrugged. "Probably because it's from a different bank. What bank does your dad use?"
"I'm…not sure," Runa admitted, thinking about it. "What's yours?"
"It's from MUFG," Aki replied. "Do you want to open an account there too?"
Runa considered it. "Well, I've saved up about 2,000 yen, so I could… but I'd need to open a minor account."
"Then let's go together after this. I'll help you set it up," Aki said with a small smile.
"Okay!" she replied, feeling excited about the idea.
Meanwhile, in the back office, the store manager was staring at the card in shock after being handed it by the staff member. His face went pale, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
"Where are they?" the manager demanded, nearly panicked.
"They're waiting outside," the staff member replied, a bit confused. "Is something wrong? Are they important guests?"
"Important? They're VVIPs!" the manager snapped. "If we mess this up, you'll be out of a job!"
The staff member flinched, realizing the gravity of the situation. "I… didn't know…"
"Of course you didn't!" the manager replied, catching his breath. 'I… I didn't know either, but something in my gut told me that this card was different, so I looked it up online just to be sure.' He stared down at the card in awe, barely able to believe what he'd found. 'Turns out, this card belongs to one of the highest-level clients at MUFG… One of the absolute top tiers!"
The manager felt a wave of shock mixed with relief wash over him, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. 'Thank goodness I trusted my instincts and checked," he murmured, almost to himself. 'Who would've thought we'd have someone like that in our store?' He gathered himself, realizing the gravity of their unexpected guest, and hurried off to meet Aki and Runa, making a mental note to give them the highest level of service.
*******
*******