She was nervous. All morning she had been fidgety and irritable. Consistently pacing around, back and fourth and then some, Eri Sawachika could not contain her nervousness much more. Before too long, she ran out to her bedroom balcony and let out an overly stressed cry. Yesterday had come and gone so fast, and while she had gotten herself completely ready, hindsight told her that maybe she should have waited for some things to be done today.
It's fine…it's…gonna be fine. I'm just nervous and there's no reason for me to be. It's just a reunion. I went to school with these guys for three years straight. No reason I couldn't just walk into a large group of them and say " How's it going?"…
She let out another sigh, then paced around again on her balcony. This was not going to be a great day. Hopefully, this evening will pick up that slack. Finally, she crashed down onto a chair nearby. She held out her fingers and began counting on them, using them to organize her thoughts.
Dress…check.
The dress she had chosen was not brand new by any means. In fact, it had been worn previously, which might go against the hoity-toity code of conduct revolving around wearing the same dress twice. Then again, it had been over 5 years since she wore it last. Or first.
It was a beautiful summer day, and everything in her world was perfect. Still she couldn't get over the fact that she had a date to the new amusement park. Of course, this was technically a shame, considering that the date was simply won out on an amazing display of fortune since it was a prize as a part of a raffle. Still, she had to go on her date because the money made through this lottery was the benefit the Yagami Zoo. The Zoo was suffering from being over budget ever since it took in those extra animals earlier in the previous year.
So, the highly charitable Sawachika family decided to help the ailing landmark, by sponsoring a fundraiser in it's honor. Of course, there would be prizes to win, and oh such lovely prizes they would be. A new home entertainment center, new kitchen equipment, a pair of plane tickets, a new car, and a date with a local writer and animal rights activist. That last one was rather strange, but everyone considered it to be all in good fun. Eri had shown up, since it was part of who she was. Hob knobbing with the other members of the upper class as well as making a show for those not quite as fortunate as the young heiress was. Out of an act of good faith, she too bought a raffle ticket, knowing or caring little about the prizes.
So go figure her expression when she found out she won a date. More so, when she found out said date was none other than the man who donated the animals to the Zoo, a mister Kenji Harima.
At first, she tried to refuse. After all, she was the daughter of the sponsors, she shouldn't be allowed to win the prize. Unfortunately, she not allowed to refuse, as the official rules stated that the date was the only prize that could not be refused. If it was, then the proceeds would then immediately be refunded and the Zoo would have to expedite the animals to other Zoo's that could afford to take them.
A strange rule it was. Even more so strange was that it was concocted by Eri's own mother, who was in cahoots with the local school nurse Tae Anegasaki and science teacher Itoko Osakabe. However, not very many people knew this, and only the three of them knew why.
Of course, Kenji Harima had been against the idea the entire time, but his lovely cousin explained what would happen if he refused, meaning that he had to go on this date or risk losing his animal family.
And so it was scheduled that on Sunday, they would have a date together.
On that next Sunday, she had everything prepared. Her hair was done, her make up was tasteful, and her dress was short and black. Not in any kind of burlesque way either. It was sheik and still very cute. It could show off her body without making her feel cheap. It was just right for this kind of thing. Everything was going as planned. That is…everything but her date. Seems he was going to be about fifteen minutes late. Still, even though she was getting irritated at the idea that he had the audacity to make her wait, upon the sound of that doorbell, all her aggravation faded fast and was replaced by nervousness and bashfulness.
