Liar, Liar, the Mage's Desire Vol. 3 (Return of the Oumeno)

Smoking In the Girls Room (2)

   Later that evening, back at Casa V3, Himiko took a plate of fries that Kirumi had fried up for her, and took it outside. She sat underneath the tree out in front and began mindlessly eating the fries as she replayed that morning at school in her mind. As she ate, she looked down at her plate of fries. Curiously, she picked up a fry, holding it in between her index and middle finger. She brought it to her lips and pretended to smoke it like a cigarette.

   "Nyeh...a virgin and a loser? Ugh...so pathetic," Himiko said, remembering Junko's words. She rolled her eyes as she continued to smoke her pretend cigarette. She blew out pretend smoke from her mouth and tried to copy Junko's smirk.

  "Aww...is someone trying to be a bad girl, now?" a voice teased from above her. 

   "AAHH!!" Himiko shrieked, scrunching her shoulders with fright. She didn't need to look up to see who it was. She immediately knew Kokichi's voice when she heard it. Nevertheless, she timidly peeked up to see him hanging upside down from a tree branch, grinning mischievously at her like the Cheshire Cat. He jumped down and sat down right next to her. Himiko quickly ground the fry she was holding against the grass, as if she were putting out an actual cigarette. Then, she flicked it across the yard before giving Kokichi a sheepish chuckle. Kokichi smiled at her and shook his head. He took a fry from Himiko's plate and popped it into his mouth.

  "Hey!" Himiko exclaimed, frowning. Kokichi simply winked at her in response. Himiko fidgeted, trying hard not to blush.

  "Sooo...what's with the whole bad girl act?" Kokichi asked with a curious smirk. "I didn't take you for the bad girl type."

   "I-I'm not trying to be bad," Himiko said. "I mean, I don't want to be bad, I just..."

  "Oohh...I see," Kokichi said, studying Himiko intently. 

  "Nyeh? S-See what?" Himiko asked.

  "You were being pressured into smoking, weren't you?" Kokichi said with a cheeky grin. Himiko's eyes widened.

   "H-How did you know?!" she exclaimed. 

   "I mean, it's pretty obvious," Kokichi replied, taking another fry from her plate. "It's not something you'd do on your own." He looked up at her with a curious gleam in his eye. "So...did you go through with it?"

   "N-No..." Himiko mumbled. "Um...the bell rang, so I had to leave, and-"

  "You chickened out, huh?" Kokichi asked, smirking at her. 

  "Ugh...so what if I did?!" Himiko huffed, turning red with humiliation. 

   "Nee-heehee...why are you getting so upset?" Kokichi asked, swiping another fry from her plate. "It's good that you chickened out!" Himiko turned to him in surprise.

   "Really?" she asked quietly. 

  "Yeah! Besides, smoking is bad for you, anyways," Kokichi pointed out. "You can breathe easy knowing that you got away with your lungs unaffected! What's the problem?" Himiko paused to think. The problem was that Junko was going to spill the beans to Kokichi about Himiko's crush on him if she didn't smoke a cigarette with her. Himiko looked up at Kokichi with unease.