The loud, resonance chime of the school bell echoed through classrooms. It dictated an ending of the first day's lectures. The murmuring began as students were excited to leave the tedious lessons and move on to their leisure lives. Some might hang around to talk with their friends. Some might dash off to their homes. Shouichi in this case was the centre of the attention once more. It seemed like enthusiasm for the new international classmate had returned.
"Why don't we hang out after, Seito-kun?" The charming seat neighbour, Shinji, proposed an idea out of the blue.
"Hmm… I actually didn't have anything planned for this afternoon, what are you feeling?" Shouichi replied with a slightly surprised look on his face.
"I dunno, I haven't thought that far. " Shinji replied, his voice trailing off almost like a whisper.
"Hahaha… That's alright… I wanna check out the shopping district a bit more, it sucks to go alone you know?" Shouichi suggested with a smile.
"Didn't you mention that your Mom owned a shop there as well?" Shinji probed.
"That's correct! We can go visit Yoko-san's cafe afterwards." Shouichi replied and then nodded twice.
"It's settled then. Let's roll, bro!" Shinji excitedly concluded with a handclap then he spotted Morimura Ayane heading toward the exit. As usual, she gave them a quick side-eye with an expressionless face.
"Morimura-chan… Ain't you interested in joining us this wholesome afternoon? Haha… You don't mind that right? Shouichi-kun." Shinji tried to persuade the impossible while nudging Shouichi with his elbow.
"No. I don't mind at all." Shouichi confirmed.
"..." Ignored by Ayane again. Shinji put one of his palms on his forehead, lifting part of his silver bangs up in disappointment. He sighed to let out his frustration before swiftly reversing to his cheerful self.
Shinji and Shouichi walked across the school grounds and headed toward the front gate. A tall, handsome boy complimenting his unique silver hair and a gorgeous boy with dazzling brown eyes, this duo easily stood out among the moving crowd.
"Wow!… look at those two, he's so tall and handsome, and the other guy is so cute like a puppy."
"Yeah. the tall one is Aoyama Shinji. I went to middle school with him. But I dunno about the short one, though."
"Aoyama Shinji is so handsome and elegant. His hair is so cool and fluffy. He must have used an expensive hair conditioner. Maybe I'll ask him when there's a chance."
"Fat chance, he's mine! *Giggle*"
"I heard that black-haired boy was from Australia. I'm sooo jealous, I wish he was in my class."
"Damn, bro. Those two stole all the spotlight on the first day. Screw 'em!"
There was plenty of gossip and curious glances from the adolescents around them. It made Shouichi feel quite nervous, but Shinji seemed completely unfazed.
"Look, look! Our ride is here!" Shinji pointed out at the black luxurious sedan parking on the sidewalk beside the school gate.
"Why didn't you tell me your parents came to pick you up? I thought we'd walk there." Shouichi asked curiously.
"Haha, of course not. This is my driver, Murakami Tori-san," Shinji introduced. The tall, thin man dressed neatly in a suit stepped out of the vehicle to greet them. His thick, circular glasses perched on his slightly hooked nose. His bang was pull-back neatly giving off a stern and professional look.
"Wooooow, you got your own driver?!" Shouichi exclaimed. "...And I thought he was funny, tall, smart, and handsome. He's also rich. What a perfect guy." Shouichi pondered.
"Young master, please let me help with your belongings." Murakami slowly held out his hands.
"Nah, it's alright. I'll carry it with me 'cause my friend here, Seito Shouichi will come along too."
"Understood, master. It's my pleasure to meet you, Master Seito." Murakami nodded calmly and put out a friendly smile at the short boy.
"Please just call me Seito or Shouichi, haha. Nice to meet you too. Murakami-san." Shouichi responded with a nod, exchanging a smile with the driver.
Shinji rushed to open the car's door and get in before Tori could do it for him, Shouichi instinctively followed suit.
"Good afternoon, Lady Ayane! How was school?" A loud female voice suddenly resonated from just behind Murakami's vehicle. Shouichi noticed Ayane talking to a lady in front of a black European-brand SUV. It seemed like someone was also picking her up. "Man, it's like I'm the only broke boy around here." He thought in sorrow.
"Nothing much… your lunchbox was soooooo good even my friend loved it!" Ayane cheerfully talked to her, raising her voice. Simultaneously, she was looking at Shouichi and smiled before she got in her car.
"Well! I'm flattered, Lady Ayane. Did you just say your friend loves 'em? As in like friend-friend? You made a friend today!? That's so gooooood! I'm so happy." The female driver joyfully continued to subsequent Q&As with her young master, they were both enjoying themselves.
"Master Aoyama, would you like to go home now?" Murakami Tori asked politely when they finished buckling up.
"Can you take us to the Hoshimashi shopping district? We'll hang out there for a bit." Shinji replied with excitement, then he briefly exchanged a grin with Shouichi.
"Understood, young master Aoyama." Tori nodded in acknowledgment.
"Hey… Please don't embarrass me in front of my new friend, I've told you to just call me Shinji." Shinji argued.
"Understood, Master Shinji," Tori replied calmly, unbothered which made Shinji give up.
Their ride was smooth and comfortable, this was due to the masterful way of Murakami Tori's driving skills. Shouichi noticed Shinji was scrolling through social media with his smartphone.
"Look, look! Shouichi, you know the CCK?!" Shinji urged him to watch as he showed Shouichi a short video clip of the idol groups dancing and singing gleefully. There were 4 members and some backup dancers on the colourfully decorated stage.
"No, I don't know… Ohhhh! That's a girl group idol. Which one is your Oshi?" Shouichi responded attentively. Those girls were extremely gorgeous and cute in those videos.
"Glad you asked, bro!" Shinji pulled back his smartphone and started vigorously fidgeting.
"This one! She's the cutest!" Shinji flipped the screen around. It's a picture of him with an idol gesturing a duo heart sign on some of those exclusive meet-up events.
"Huh?! Isn't that Ayane-chan?!" Shouichi exclaimed with both astonishment and shock.
"Hahaha! No bro! Look closely… This is Sahara Yukiko." Shinji laughed and pointed out.
When Shouichi inspected the photo closely, he could finally distinguish between them. Ayane didn't have a mole beneath her lower lip on the left side, and Yukiko appeared to be shorter. However, at a quick glance, they were nearly impossible to tell apart.
"Girls with make-up bro, they all look the same," Shinji concluded with a grin, then both Shinji and Shouichi giggled in unison.
"Master Shinji and Master Seito, we have reached our destination." Tori made a statement shortly after they stopped giggling.
The duo stepped out of the vehicle and headed to the Hoshimashi mainstreet. The place was crowded with students and office workers either looking for their dining places or shopping. After walking around leisurely for 15 minutes, browsing various shops, Shinji stopped in front of a bubble milk tea shop.
The shop was just a small stand with no tables, adorned in a cute, girly theme. Many customers were already queuing up when they arrived, and a young female cashier, dressed in a B&W maid costume that perfectly complemented the shop's charm, attended to them.
"I'll get some boba green tea, you want sum?" Shinji asked Shouichi with a spark in his radiant purple eyes.
"No, I'm good, you go ahead." Shouichi refused. He had one too many sweets for the past week, helping Yoko around the store.
After a while, the duo eventually reached the front of their queue.
"Welcome, Master! How may I be of service to you today… Shinji-kun?!" The maid cashier greeted him enthusiastically, but her expression froze in surprise when she recognised who it was.
"Yo! Momo-chan!" Shinji greeted while lifting his hand up, wearing a big smug on his face. "Wait… Momo? Tomako Momo? Is she the new girl in our class?" Shouichi asked repeatedly, confused by the stark differences between the two. The cute maid had long blonde hair with curly tips and a small mole beneath her right eye. She also appeared taller than Tomako Momo. The most obvious difference, however, was that Tomako Momo had a super timid personality.
"... It's a bit embarrassing to see me like this," Momo said with a red plum face. Now that she looked like a completely difference person, she became a charismatic young girl.
A flash of her snowy skin and the white undershirt she wore this morning appeared before Shouichi's eyes. His perverted thoughts began to creep in, spiralling him into a dream-like state.
"Huh?! Huh?!... What?" Shouichi finally regained his consciousness after getting nudged by Shinji.
"Bro! Stop dosing off. She asked if you need anythin'?" Shinji raised his voice a bit louder. It appeared that he had already ordered and gotten his bubble drink. "Damn! How long have I zoned out? That's so embarrassing." Shouichi asked himself.
"Oh! N~No, I'm okay." Shouichi replied while looking at her big feline eyes, her orange eyes were breathtakingly beautiful and transformed to a stunning golden hue when hit by the afternoon sun.
"Thank you for visiting, Maid & Tea Bliss… Next customers, please." Momo carried on with her duty as the duo walked out and continued to stroll aimlessly.
"You alright, Shouichi? You've got questions written all over your face." Shinji spoke up after he finished devouring his green tea, he definitely didn't chew.
"I'm still surprised by Tomako-chan. When I met her this morning, she seemed like the shy type, right?" Shouichi said, expressing his confusion.
"Yeah, I would be too. But I have known her since middle school. Momo-chan is essentially a shy girl but when she works, she'll be able to crank up some confidence. I'd admire her for that." Shinji responded, nonchalantly.
"Oh! I didn't know that. She was sitting in the front and never talked to you once in the class." Shouichi continued.
"Hahaha right? What an awkward girl. She's kinda… cute, though. If you are so ken…" Shinji asked with a sly smug on his face.
"I totally agree that she's indeed cute and gorgeous in her maid uniform. But it's nothing like that, hahaha. " Shouichi dismissed him. Shinji threw his empty cup like a basketball and it projectiled into the middle of the trashcan.
"Perfect Goal!" Shinji celebrated.
"Girls and their makeup, bro. I told you. Believe me now?" Shinji turned to make a cool remark to Shouichi. They both giggled and then burst out into laughter.
An hour flew by and the sun began to set behind the mountain, casting a large shadow over the town. The duo ended up walking through a familiar street. It reminded Shouichi of his first day in this town. It's the same spot where he met with a drunk salaryman in a suit.
"A funny story time." Shouichi struck up a conversation and cleared his throat.
"What?" His tall friend asked and listened attentively.
"Last week, when I arrived on this spot in a taxi. I met a drunk man in a suit, begging for water. He used his head to tap the car's window. Bang bang like this." Shouichi spoke nonchalantly and recreated the gesture from his memory.
"What happened then?" Shinji dropped his usual smile and asked.
"Well, I was so shocked. I basically threw a bottle of water out the window, haha. Then he chucked the whole bottle in one go, and he puked right there afterwards." Shouichi continued and pointed at where the man vomited.
"Wow! That's quite terrifying actually. I've been here since birth, I legit have never seen a drunk person before." Shinji responded, serious in his expression.
"Really?" Shouichi spoke in disbelief. "Wait… realisation hit him, there's no liquor store anywhere in the shopping district. That's something truly bizarre about Kurohashi." Shouichi observed and noted internally.
"Look at this fat cat! Haha, why is it bald?" Shinji exclaimed, holding up the chubby cat and patting its bald head. They both giggled at the shaved-head kitten. "Another weird thing I've seen in this town," Shouichi thought to himself. Shinji had such a short attention span that he could barely sit through any story longer than five sentences.
The dazzling duo eventually showed up in front of Yoko Sweet Shop. Naturally, Shouichi pushed the front door open while casually talking to Shinji.
"Eek!" Shouichi bumped into Ayane causing her to fall flat on her bum. He was so immersed in the conversation with Shinji that he didn't see the girl coming.
"Oh, No! Now I'm getting her mad again." Shouichi subconsciously expected a reprimand from her.
"Ouch!... Are you not gonna help me up?" Ayane let out a soft, painful cry and reached out with her hands.
"Sorry! I'll help." Shouichi promptly pulled her arms up. He realised that her slender arms were soft, warm and immaculate. Because Ayne often acted cold and independent when they were around, Shouichi did not expect her to ask for help, especially in front of Shinji.
"Thank you…" She muttered, her face was slightly red. She glanced at Shouichi with her cute, big eyes, they stood so close to each other that Shouichi could smell a faint, sweet vanilla fragrance from her.
"Your book, Morimura-chan." At the same time, Shinji picked up her book from the floor and handed it to her. His words prompted Shouichi to let go of her arms. It seemed Ayane was so absorbed in her novel when she bumped into Shouichi. So no one was at fault.
"Oh! Thanks." Ayane replied softly.
"I've got to go now. See you." The beautiful girl bid them farewell before gracefully walking out of the store. Shinji and Shouichi exchanged an awkward glance. They continued to hang out at Yoko's store until Murakami arrived to pick Shouichi up and take him home safely.