vermilion | chifuyu matsuno

seven

"oh, is that so? do you want to go to a coffee shop instead, aki-san?" chifuyu asked aki, trying to stop himself from laughing at the new information he got about aki.

he found it cute actually, how she was scared of dogs.

god, could she be any cuter?

"chifuyu-san?" aki called him, making him realize that he had been staring at her, and that they had stop walking.

upon realizing this, chifuyu's face turned red because of embarrassment.

"i'm so sorry, aki-san, i got lost staring at your face," chifuyu apologized and smiled sheepishly at the girl.

"why? is there something wrong with my face?" aki asked, and grabbed her small mirror from her bag.

"oh no, nothing's on your face, you're just really pretty."

it was now aki's turn to blush at chifuyu's sudden compliment.

"thank you, chifuyu-san."

"you're welcome, aki-san. anyways, should we go to a coffee shop instead?"

"oh no, it's okay. let's just go to the shelter. i wanna see the animals even though i'm scared."

"are you sure?"

"yes! one-hundred percent sure!" aki said, and gave chifuyu a salute before the two of them laughed and continued on walking towards the shelter.

"oh! i remember, there's a separate room for the dogs since we don't lock them up in cages!"

"that's wonderful!"

the two of them continued on talking until they finally arrived at the shelter.

"hey, mrs. nakajima, how are you?" chifuyu greeted the lady whom they first saw as soon as they entered the shelter.

"well, hello there chifuyu, i see that you brought a friend of yours, or is she just a friend?"

"oh, no, this is aki, mrs. nakajima, she's my friend...for now."

"that's my boy! now come along, i'm actually happy that you brought your friend here, the babies are gonna be delighted once they see a new friend!"

after that, chifuyu and aki helped mrs. nakajima around the shop, at first chifuyu was worried that aki would find their date boring, and that she didn't liked that she would be working on their date, but when chifuyu looked at her as they played with the cats, he was relieved. aki looked so happy, she was talking to the cats as if they were her kids, she let them lick her hands, and she petted them with love.

"are you enjoying our date so far, aki-san?" chifuyu asked aki as the both of them dined inside a fast-food chain just a couple blocks from the shop. it was time for lunch and mrs. nakajima ushered the two of them to go ahead and eat.

"yes. i'm really really enjoying it, chifu-san. i didn't know that being surrounded by animals can make you feel so loved. they are all cuddly, and sweet. god, i wish we were allowed to have pets in our dorms, i would've adopted a cat from the shelter."

chifuyu watched aki as she spoke. he liked it when she speaks, specially when she's talking about something that she liked, because her eyes literally lits up. they looked like stars, and chifuyu loves it. it gives him a serotonin boost.

"true. i was actually bummed out that they didn't allowed pets inside the dorms, i could've brought my pet cat with me."

"you have a cat?!" aki yelled, earning her a few disapproving looks from the other diners to which she bowed at as an apology for her behavior.

chifuyu chuckled at her reaction and nodded, "yes, i have a cat. but, she's at home, my mom's taking care of her since we're not allowed to have pets in our dorms."

"that sucks. i thought i could meet her," aki pouted, before she took a bite out of her burger.

"maybe one day, you'll meet her aki-san. i'm sure she's gonna like you, but not as much as i do."

chifuyu watched aki's face turned red upon hearing what he said and he couldn't help but laugh.

"you're so cute."

"i am cute! and yes, i can't wait to meet her!"

the two of them remained at the fast-food chain for a couple more minutes before they decided to go back to the shelter.

when they went back to the shelter, it was now time for the dogs, and chifuyu noticed how aki began to sweat. she was really scared of dogs.

"hey, aki-san, do you mind telling me why you're so scared of dogs?"

"oh it's because when i was younger, i went to the convenience store to buy something, and when i came out, there was this dog, and i just walked like i normally do but then he kept following me so i began running, and so did the dog so now he was chasing me, and i was so scared that i will get bitten that i literally went inside one of my neighbors house just so i could escape the dog, and the embarrassing part of it was that these neighbors of ours had visitors, and they all looked at me like i was a crazy person when i suddenly entered the house."

"aki-san, ca–can i laugh?" chifuyu was biting the insides of his mouth so hard to stop himself from laughing.

"go ahead!" aki pouted at him but she soon also started laughing along with chifuyu.

"that's such a funny childhood memory, aki-san!" chifuyu said in between their laughters.

"i actually found it weird but since you said it was funny, then it's funny."

they continued laughing a little bit more before they headed towards the room where the dogs are. aki convinced chifuyu that it was okay for her to get inside the room, and be with the dogs, but once she got inside, she just ran around screaming because the dogs chased her – not because they wanted to bite her, but because they wanted to play with her. but since aki was scared to death, chifuyu told her that she should not force herself if it really scares her, and that it's totally okay.

it was around four in the afternoon when mrs. nakajima told them that it's time for them to go home, at first, the two protested but then mrs. nakajima wouldn't also budge so they don't have no choice but to head home.

"aki-san," chifuyu called out aki who was walking beside him.

"yeah?" aki turned to him.

"did you enjoy our date today?"

"i did. i had a lot of fun inside the animal shelter, and it's such a unique idea for a first date. thank you, chifuyu-san. i enjoyed my time with you," aki said and smiled at him.

"thank you for spending your day with me too, aki-san. i enjoyed my time with you too."