Arisa's Fake Romance

Chapter 5

Me, O-Tae, and Saaya sit on a bench just outside school after school.

O-Tae ask, "I bet you couldn't sleep last night."

"I actually slept like a baby."

Saaya squints giggling.

"What's so funny?"

O-Tae tells me, "I just thought of something. What if it's just the illusion of love?"

Is O-Tae serious? She obviously doesn't understand. "Illusion?"

Saaya rest her head on her hands, looking at the birds in a tree. "When you are in love you can't get him out of your mind and can't sleep at night."

O-Tae nods. "Saaya has a point. Maybe you're in love with being in love."

Saaya nods. "Yep, not to mention you're hurrying to find a date to the party. Whatever you're going through might not be love."

"Besides Kaichi isn't your type."

"Aaahhh! Kasumi you startled me!" 

O-Tae moves back and blinks. "Where did Kasumi come from?"

Saaya says, "Sheesh Kasumi don't scare us like that."

Kasumi squeezes in between me and O-Tae and puts her hand on mine tilting her head. "Maybe you're just having fun in your rush to a date for the party."

I leap off the bench and yell, "There's no way that's true!"

"And you guys say you're my friends?"

I hit Kasumi on her arm. "Ow! Why Arisa?"

"You guys may be my friends but I won't accept you hating on me and Kaichi!"

I run off to Shibuya Station and sit near the Hachi statue.

I mean sure Kaichi isn't usually the kind of guy I go for and we don't really text each other much. I just don't get I why is everyone against us being together? Even Grandma and it's because of her I even looked for a guy. The stupid fortune said I'm bad at looking for guys and everyone is too happy to believe it and some girls probably still think I'm trying to date Daiki. What would I even like about him? I mean sure he's very handsome and funny but he's Daiki. He's a great friend I can be open with but we know each other's secret.

"Arisa, why do you look so gloomy?" I hear Ran ask.

"Oh, no reason, heh heh."

O-Tae taps her chin. "Although I think you still have a bad eye for men."

"What? I don't need to hear that from you. Me and Kaichi will go on another lovey dovey date today and you can't stop us."

Me, Ran, and Tomoe go near Yoyogi Park together and I meet with Kaichi under a walkway with a spray painted wall.

"Hey Kaichi, I-I brought you something?"

He looks confused. He'll be so happy to see this. "Ta da!" Wow I sound like Kasumi, he he. I hold a box of pastries.

"Do you like them?"

He slowly reaches for the box. "It's okay they're yours."

"Arisa, there's something I must tell you."

We walk down the street together towards Yoyogi.

He looks like he's going to cry. Did something happen to him? "Are you okay?"

We sit against a painted wall with lots of blue and a bit of yellow under the walkway. The sky is cloudy and a chilly breeze brushes by.

"I-I have a confession Arisa. I was hired to spy on you and Ran."

"Kaichi...how could you?" 

He looks away with his head in his hands. "I even stole your phone just to give it back. It was all a game. It was because Miyu wanted to spread more believable rumors about you and Ran so she could have Daiki all to herself."

"What?! I don't know what this Miyu has against me but she'll pay. And Daiki is my friend and I am not trying to seduce him. If he likes her he'll ask her out and I-well now I'd stop her because I know she's a toxic bitch who doesn't deserve him."

He breathes in deep. "I-I'm sorry for deceiving you all this time."

"How could you?! I was enjoying our time together and Grandma wants me to find a date for the party this weekend."

"What the hell are you doing Kaito, finish the job already."

Haru glares at him leaning against a lamppost.

She walks forward rolling her eyes. "Ugh please don't tell me you actually fell for her."

I see how it is.

Kaito cries. "I can't, I just can't do it. Forgive me Haru."

Ran walks up to us and stares at Haru looking determined to stand up for us. "Get lost you! You've caused us enough trouble."

"Oh, and what's a flowergirl like you gonna do about it?"

Ran's nostrils flare as her eyebrows scrunch.

"Mitake you bitch! You were always an eyesore, acting like you own Shibuya and now you're claiming Yoyogi?"

She rushes to her with a big pipe. "I'll make sure you can never ever walk Shibuya again!"

Ran gets into position and I back her up. Ran ducks the strike and the pipe hit the concrete wall.

Haru's lower lip quivers. "Wa-what?"

"Try it again, baka."

Footsteps echo towards us and I judo throw her friend onto Haru.

Ran picks Haru up by her shirt. "Listen, toxics like you pollute all of Shibuya City. Listen up, don't go around doing toxic things like spreading rumors and paying spies!"

Her friend tells her, "These girls are bad news. And honestly the girl who yelled at you and beat you up is an amazing singer."

Kaito says, "Arisa, I..."

"Kaito, please don't try to apologize. You probably thought I was easy too."

The app was right, I should have known this was too good to be true.

"Well...but now honestly..."

I respond, "Stop. It is too late for you now. You let one amazing Ichigaya go."

"Arisa! Come back!"

Ugh, this is so stupid. Five percent luck with guys? More like zero. Too bad since I thought he'd ask me to the party for sure. It's closer now than ever.

I text Grandma and she says see I told you so. We go back to Shibuya and meet at Hazawa Coffee and Saaya says, "See didn't we all tell you so?"

O-Tae notices. "You don't seem that devastated Arisa. You'll find the right guy for the party for sure."

I sigh. "Sure, I guess. Maybe I was just having a bit of fun because a guy who doesn't usually go for me did, just like you said."

Relief emanates from Kasumi's voice. "I don't know what I would have done if you were serious."

 She gives me a hug and we meet eyes for a few seconds. I can tell we want to kiss each other but just can't with everyone watching.

Hopefully Haru will leave us alone but like Saaya said Miyu is the one to worry about, and the one saying all that stuff about me.

Just a few more days until the party. This isn't looking good I need a plan.