The school's cultural festival was approaching, and this year our class was running a cafe. It was no exactly an original idea, but Ichigo was going to bake cakes fr us, and I had asked Johji to let us use some of his special coffee blend, so we were confident that our cafe would be the best. "Aiko! I got the pieces fro your costume. Please take them home to finish them!" My classmate handed me a bag before I could leave for the track practice. All the girls had to be wateriness, and somehow it was agreed that we would wear cute costumes. Personally, I thought that part would be embarrassing, but I was outvoted. Ichigo had said something about making it worth his time to bake so many cakes, and Haruki laughed in a way that seemed a little less innocent than usual.
So it was that I found myself staring at the bag and its unknown contents as I sat on the bleachers with Natsu as usual. I would normally be watching Takeshi, but today a mixture of curiosity and dread had overwhelmed me. "...Aiko, are you listening?' I snapped my head up to see Natsu looking at me. "Are you okay today?"
"Ah-ha, yeah, I'm fine!" I insisted, trying it laugh it off. "It's stupid, really, but I have to wear a costume for our class cafe, and I haven't seen what it is yet..."
"Oh, is that all? Let me open it for you then!" As usual, Natsu was so much bolder than I could ever be. I let her take the bag from me and peer inside. "Aww, look!" She exclaimed, pulling out a headband with kitty ears attached, "Those are just perfect for you Try them on right now, i want to see them."
"W-wait, right here?!" I was set to protest, but Natsu was too fast for m. She popped he Headband right on, then sat back to admire it. "Oh my gosh, this is so embarrassing," I muttered, hiding my bright red red face in my hands.
I jumped when I heard a voice behind us. "What are you two doing?" I whirled around and, to my horror, Takeshi had come up to the bleachers to check on us. I was so mortified to have my boyfriend catch me wearing kitty ears that I thought I might drop dead on the spot.
"Looooook, Takeshi!" Natsu giggled. "This is Aiko's costume for your class cafe!"
"No way." The seriousness of Takeshi's statement surprise me. "Hurry up and take those things off, Aiko."
Glad to have an excuse, I whipped the headband off my head and stashed it in the bag with the rest of the costume. "i'm going to look so stupid..." I moaned, closing the bag in hopes that putting the costume out of sight would help me forget about it for a while.
"You didn't look stupid."
"Take?" I thought he would have headed back to his practice already, but Takeshi was still lingering near us, shuffling his feet on the ground.
Wearing a rare blush, he went on. "You looked cute. I didn't want anyone else to see you. If you can't get out of it for the cafe than I guess there is not much I can do, but in the mean time, don't let anyone else see you in those, okay?" Still shocked, I just nodded. and Takeshi finally went back to finish his practice.
Natsu burst into giggles as soon as he was out of ear shot. "He came over here just to get a better look at your kitty ears!" She teased, laughing so hard her ponytail bobbed on her head. "And he said-he said-" She could hardly get the words out for laughing, and some of the team members were staring. "He said 'anyone else', so he want you to wear them for him again!"
"Natsu! You're being so loud!" I waved my hands, trying to get my friend to stop with her raucous laughter. Finally she caught her breath and managed to calm down.
"Sorry, but you two are just o totally cute together!" She grinned. "So are you going to wear the ears for him or not?"
I couldn't imagine my face burning any hotter than it was right now. "W-well, I have to get used to them for the cafe anyway, so I guess it's alright as long as it is just Take..."
Delighted, Natsu clapped her hands. "Cute, cute! Show me how well you can meow!'
"W-what?!" I was wrong, my cheeks could get hotter.
"C'mon Aiko, you have to meow like a cute little cat! Show me!"
"N-no way!"
"I'll go first! Mew, mew, purr, purr!" Natsu curled her hand like kitty paws and grinned at me.
"I'm not doing that here! Stop being so embarrassing!" I tried to push her hands down, but Natsu kept on laughing as she teased me.
Are you going to do it for Takeshi then?"
"M-maybe!" The answer came out of my mouth unbidden and surprised even me. I had really intened to say no. I clapped my hands over my mouth and refused to say another word.
"Are you two still goofing off?" For the second time, I jumped as Takeshi's sudden appearance. "Practice is over. Le's go home, Aiko."
"Y-yes!" I jumped up in hurry and dashed to his side. I was worried about how much he heard, but my eagerness to get away from Natsu at that moment out weighed anything else.
"Bye, you two! Have fun!" My friend called after us. I gave her a hurried parting wave, she was still my friend, after all and practically dragged Takeshi away from the track. I could hardly say anything on the way home.
~~~~~~~
Somehow, that evening, Takeshi and I managed to be the only two people at Black Ship. Johji had to some shopping, Ichigo had to prepare cakes for the cultural festival, and Haruki and Ryuzo had to help their families' shops as usual. Rihtio had been with us for a while, but after Takeshi not-so-subtly asked if he had ro practice his piano twice, he left for home as well.
Since there were no customers, I was working on my costume, hemming the skit to the correct length. Takeshi was pretending to read his Shonen Hop, but I noticed he had not turned the page in quiet some time. He kept stealing glances in my direction instead. "Is something wrong, Take?" I finally asked.
He seemed reluctant to answer at first, but finally he signed. "You're going to look too cute n your costume," he admitted. "And I have to help with the track team's concession booth too, so I wont't even be in the classroom during your waitressing shift to enjoy it..."
"Oh no, we got opposite shifts?" I had looked at my own schedule, but it had not occurred to me to check Takeshi's too. "Well, there's only one thing I can do, then..." Brows furrowed in determination, I reached into my costume bag and pulled out the dreaded kitty ears. I had stuffed them all way to the bottom so none of our friends would spot them, so I had to fix the ribbon quickly, then I put the headband on and did my best to smile.
T-that's..." Takehi seemed at a loss for words as his cheeks flushed pink. "You didn't have to..."
"I have to get used to them somehow, and I would rather let you see me than anyone else." I could tell that I was blushing too, but I kept smiling on. "Do they really look good?
"Yeah. Really." Takeshi flashed me his gorgeous smile, making my heart pound as always. "But it's not the ears... It's you. You're so cute, Aiko." He cupped my chin softly, then leaned in for a quick kiss. "I'm going to ask if I can switch shifts. I need to keep an eye on you."
"Take, I would never leave you, and especially mot for some random guy I meet at the culture festival..."
"I'm mot worried about random guy. Ichigo and Haruki will be there." He frowned deeply.
"Okay, then they can keep an eye out, right? I'm sure switching shifts will be a lot of trouble, so please don't worry about me!" I smiled and took my hand in his. "Our friends would never let anyone creepy near me. I can always count on everyone."
"You just don't get it." Takeshi signed a bit, though I could not fathom why, and leaned forward to steal a kiss on the forehead. "But I suppose you'll be okay. Just promise me something in return- keep the ears after the festival, okay?"
I nearly asked why, but looking at his smile, I knew. Embarrassed, but just a little happy, I nodded my agreement, then punctuated it with a tiny "Mew."
"N-no fair!" I couldn't remember the last time I had seen Takeshi so red, and he impulsively grabbed me by the waist and pulled me into a sudden and sweet kiss. He ended it sooner than either of us wanted to, and plucked the headband out of my hair. "Those things are dangerous, " he mumbled, and still feeling half drunk from his kiss, I just laughed.
