Time Flies

Chapter 11 - Gossip Girl

"Fuwa~" Kei yawned as she briskly walked towards the dorms while chatting with Azuma, who had decided to tag along. They were also accompanied by some members of her clique that weren't watching a movie with Kushida's group, shopping bags in hand. The group all enjoyed the winter break festivities and seasonal discounts as they bounced between all the stores, picking up stylish clothes, cute trinkets, fragrant perfumes, and more limited-edition products with the points they had carefully accumulated for months. It wasn't too often that they, as Class D students, could go and splurge extravagantly on things they desired.

"Hey, Maya-chan!" Ichihashi suddenly exclaimed, pouncing on Satou from behind, cupping the sly fox's chest.

Satou had turned a violent shade of crimson as she struggled with the playful deviant, "Where do you think you are you touching?! Get offa me, Ruri-chan!"

Ichihashi grinned with mischievous intent, "I forgot to ask, how was your date with Ayanokouji-kun the other day?"

Matsushita and Shinohara suddenly appeared at Satou's sides and started nudging her, interested in this piece of information. "Ne? Ne? You finally went on a date with that guy you've been trying to attract?" Shinohara teased, "Tell us more! Most guys would be over the moon if they had you clinging onto them, but somehow, he could keep up that poker face. I have to admit, that's very impressive of him."

"Yeah, yeah, how did he end up, quote on quote, sweeping you off your feet?" the devious Matsushita asked, interested in getting the scoop on the events that happened prior to her visit for free food.

"E-Eh?!" Satou blushed harder, recalling the events that happened that day, prompting Ichihashi to inquire further, "Yeah, how did that happen? I remember seeing a thread with a photo of you being princess-carried by him. I actually got a good look at his face in the photo, and he looks even more handsome than before when he actually makes an expression on his face, even if he looks troubled. I think this is his gap moe? I don't remember ever seeing him change his expression much since the start of school, actually."

"It's a long story that I won't get into the details with. Kiyotaka's actually more than he seems. He's super-duper cool!" Satou gushed, ready to spill the tea.

"You're on a given-name basis with him?" Shinohara asked.

Satou continued, "Did you know that he could play the piano? I was honestly so surprised he was that skilled! It sucks that I didn't learn until a couple of days ago. He confessed that he didn't feel it wouldn't have been appreciated because of how everyone in class treated him earlier in the school year."

The girls looked away, a little guilty about their earlier opinions about him just because of his introverted nature and association with their class leader who seemed to be just someone with a superiority complex at the start of the year.

"He's also an excellent cook," Satou mentioned, causing their ears to perk up.

"A boy that can cook? I guess he really is more mature than the rest of the class," Shinohara commented in wonder about Satou's crush, "Do you think he'd mind an audience? I haven't seen him in the culinary club, so I wanna see how skilled he is at cooking,"

"I'm not sure, I'd have to ask him next time we hang out. He made an appetizer and a... something with chicken and chimichanga?"

"Chimichurri, Maya-chan. What he made is a 'chicken ballotine'" Matsushita corrected her.

"Yeah, that. It would be easier to show you. I took some pictures of the dishes he made," Satou said, opening up her camera roll to the pictures of the food.

Ichihashi whistled in amazement, "Wow, that looks like something that was made by a professional chef! It looks to be just as good as, if not better, the dishes served at that one fancy restaurant on the cruise ship. Wait, Chiaki-chan, how do you know what he made for Satou?"

Satou gave Matsushita a half-hearted glare and snorted at her former partner-in-crime who whistled innocently, "She decided to barge in on the dinner invitation, so she got some food from Kiyotaka. You damn freeloader!" Satou shook her fist at Matsushita in mock contempt.

"I couldn't help it," Matsushita sighed in satisfaction, holding her reddened cheeks as she remembered the food he made, "After the first time he made food for Kei-chan and me, I wanted to get a second taste."

"Eh? You and Kei-chan? I thought Kei-chan disliked him? Why did he make food for you two?"

"Hm?" Kei made a noise of confusion, snapping out of her conversation with Azuma and walking over to them, Azuma following her, "I heard my name being said. What's up?"

"Why did Ayanokouji-kun make you and Chiaki-chan food? And when did you two get acquainted? I thought you disliked him."

"Kiyotaka made me congee because I was sick, not for both of us," Kei emphasized to them, "I think Chiaki-chan was curious about what he was up to on the first year girl's floor. We became acquainted with one another during the Zodiac Exam. We were part of the Rabbit group and he helped us win. He's actually quite the funny guy if he becomes comfortable around you. He's quite the tease and acts more like a 'boke'."

"Hmm, Maya-chan, Chiaki-chan, and Kei-chan," Shinohara commented before Kei interjected, "And Azuma-san!"

"Azuma-san, too?!"

"I made him my study buddy!" Azuma exclaimed, "He's so sweet! He let me have his strawberry shortcake in exchange for something cheaper one time."

"It's always the quiet ones," Shinohara joked, "I didn't expect him to be such a playboy. Preying on my innocent gyaru friends—"

"To be honest, it's more of us gyarus preying on him, instead," Kei interrupted.

"Innocent gyaru is an oxymoron," Matsushita threw her two cents in.

Shinohara continued, "—like how a lion preys on a gazelle in the Serengeti. Who will be the next to be added to his collection of gyarus? Perhaps he'll prey upon the naughty Ruri-chan and turn the tables on her—"

♫♪♪~

Shinohara was interrupted by the sound of music playing from one of their phones.

"Why is Kiyotaka using the video teleconference app?" Kei shook her head in exasperation.

"What's up, Kiyotaka?" Kei asked after she accepted the call, "Why didn't you just text me? I'm walking back with the girls from the mall," The other girls surrounded Kei in interest, just out of frame.

"I just had..." Kiyotaka paused, "The gayest experience in my life at the sentou," The other girls tried clamping their mouths shut, struggling not to laugh. Kiyotaka continued, "And I think I caught a glimpse of what it feels like to be a woman," The girls couldn't help but snort, holding hands to their mouths. "Like wow," Kiyotaka breathed out, "I was getting looks from everyone, and it felt good, not gonna lie— but I kinda feel defiled from their gazes, especially from Satonaka and Yousuke. Listen, you know I have no issues, but... wow," he finished before hanging up on the video telephone call.

The girls could finally catch their breath, successful at holding in their laughs.

"You're such a dork," Kei commented fondly before she noticed a text sent by Kiyotaka that she opened, reading it aloud, "Someone said 'I like that walk, pretty boy!' so I tried changing my walk after that. My butt tightened and everything. I had to get away from everyone else."

That opened the floodgates. The girls couldn't hold in their mirth, all dissolving into laughter at Kiyotaka's comments.

"You weren't lying, Ayanokouji-kun is hilarious!" Ichihashi snickered, "I wouldn't mind being friends with him."

"Me too," Shinohara chuckled, "But it looks like you have even more competition, Maya-chan! Satonaka-kun and Hirata-kun? And possibly more, from the looks of it,"

The girls gleefully chatted with one another, enjoying talking about Kiyotaka and wanting to learn more about him, constantly grilling Kei, Matsushita, and Satou for more information. Kei was happy for Kiyotaka, overjoyed that opinions of him were rising. She hoped that she could help him enjoy the rest of his stay for as long as he could.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Woo, and that's another chapter down. I hope you all enjoyed the shenanigans this time around.