20 Days In The Past - Aikatsu Love Story (SenAka)

First Date

        Akari got dressed into a tea length medium pink tulle dress, and tinted her lips a deep pink. To top it off, she put her hair in a high bun. She left her house, and left for the bus. 
        As she was walking on the sidewalk towards her bus stop, she spotted 2 people she had not seen for 10 years.  Her father waved at her, however Akari simply ran to them.  She threw herself at them, hugging them both.
      "Mom! Dad!" Akari wept.
       "Hey....Akari-chan, are you homesick?" Her mother asked, resting her hand on her shoulder.  Akari nodded, wiping her tears away.
       "We're always going to be here for you, I do hope you know that." Her father said.
       "It felt endless without you.  I thought you were gone forever!" She said, pulling them tighter.
       "Gone forever?" Her mother laughed.  "Don't be silly, we're just a phone call away."
       "Oh, right....." Akari said pulling away.  "I'm going on my first date with a guy I've crushed on for 10 years, and I've already ruined my makeup." She said with a bit if a laugh.
       "Wait a second, you're going on a date?" Her father asked.  He turned to her mother.  "This young man better be worthy of our daughter."
       Her mother chuckled, pulling a makeup bag out of her purse.
       "Here, I think there can be an easy fix." She said.  Akari took the bag from her hands, sitting on a bench and pulling out her mother's hand mirror.  She wiped her mascara stains off, fixed her highlighter and re-applied her mascara.  She out the makeup bag in the bag and handed it back to her mother, eyeing them down in disbelief.
      "Thank you!" She said, before seeing the bus arrive.  "Oh, I have to go!  I'll call you tonight." She said before getting on the bus.

         Butterflies were caught in her stomach, as her heart fluttered thinking about him. He was so tall, handsome, and kind. She smiled and giggled, before having a flashback from that night she was 23.

        "Cheers." They said in unison, taking a sip of wine from their glasses.
        Akari set her cup down.  "How has your brand been?"
       "Really good! Dreamy Crown has become a luxury brand in Korea and China now."
       "Ahh nice!" Akari said. 
       Talking filled the air in ambience, as the water fell into the small pool on the side of the waterfall in the restaurant.  Tsubasa looked into the giant mirror which sat on the wall behind the stream of water.
        "There is something I wanted to tell you tonight." He said, setting down his glass.  Akari looked him in the eyes.  Her heart fluttered, as he placed her hand in his.
         "What's up?"
         "Well, ever since the starlight queen cup....Well, when I was around you......Dang it, I'm so nervous my hand is shaking." He said with a chuckle.  His other hand took her free hand, both his hands holding hers.  "Akari, I love y-"
          "Akari-chan, what is the meaning of this?"
           Akari turned around, her grandmother giving her a piercing glare. "I-I can explain..."
          Her grandmother slapped her.  "You're already engaged  and you know it."  Tsubasa stood up immediately and bowed politely.

          "I'm sorry, I didn't know." He said.  He said down cash on the table, to cover the bill.  "I'm sorry for my behaviour, Oozora-san.  I did not know."   Her heart stung at being called her surname. 
          Akari's grandmother grabbed her wrist as she attempted to run after him.
         "Don't even think about it."

Akari let out a sad sigh. Don't be sad Akari, this is your second chance, right?

        "Hey!" She said, as Tsubasa finished running up to her. She took notice he wasn't in his usual attire. Instead, he wore a dark blue hoodie, brown pants and vans.
      "Hey! You look good." He said. Akari blushes, playing with her skirt.
      "Oh, thank you."
      "So, what are we doing?" He asked.
      "Umm....I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go to Inokashira Park." She said. She looked up at him. "The sound of the water is very peaceful, and I like to feed the pigeons breadcrumbs when I need to relax."
        Tsubasa narrowed his eyes. This seems unlike her, I recall her as more of a lively person. Something is definitely off about her. "There is a laser tag place nearby. How about we do that?"
        "Laser tag?" She said laughing, before she reminded herself that she was 15 again. "I would love to, but wouldn't it cost--"
        "Don't worry about it, it only costs 833 yen per person." {833 yen = $10cad and $7.49usd}
        "Okay, but I can pay for just--"
        "Don't even think about it, it's my treat." He said. Akari giggled a bit.
        "Okay, thank you." She said with a nod. The two walked 4 blocks to a laser tag place.
        They bought the tickets, and had fun as a team in the game. The game lasted 2 hours, and Tsubasa won 3rd place in the game.

       "I don't think I've had that much fun for as long as I could remember." She said.
       "Oh really? Well I'm glad you had fun now." He said with a bright smile.
       "You know I don't think I've seen you like this." She said.
       "What do you mean?" He asked.
       "Your playful side." She said.
       "I've been so caught up in work, I'd forgotten it even existed." He said, scratching his head.
       "I can understand that feeling." She said. "Work can be so hefty, and often I'd get burnt out."
       "Really? I thought being an idol would be easy." He said. Akari made an embarrassed blush. Oh right, I'm still an idol. Just play along.
        "Nothing is easy. I wake up at 5:00am and go to bed at 9:30 every night. My days are filled with interviews, and when we aren't performing, we're training. I can't really complain though. When you enjoy what you do it doesn't feel like work." She said with a laugh.
         "That's right. I truly enjoy making dresses, so it doesn't feel like work. I actually didn't finish school. I did my last year of middle school and learned how to run my own business from Amahane-san."
        "That's amazing, so you started a business at the age of 16?"
          "Sure did. It wasn't easy convincing my family, however. I created my first dress to impress Amahane-sensei, in order to show I'd be a promising apprentice. My family was indifferent to me, as I am a middle child. My older brother destroyed my dress the day before I was going to showcase it. I made my way to an alteration shop, hoping they could fix it. Turned out a lady from a kid's costume store came outside and offered to fix it. You could say she worked like magic." He said as we stopped and sat down on a bench.
        "Was that shop in the Kuramae shopping district?" Akari asked.
        "Ahh, yes it was." He said. Akari nodded her head.
        "Tsubasa-kun?"
Tsubasa's face turned red. "Hey, I think that's the first time you've called me that."
        "Oh, right! If you want me to call you Sena--"
        "No don't!" He said in a rushed voice. "I mean....I like being called that better. It's less formal. Is it okay if I call you Akari?"
        "Yes, of course!" She said. Suddenly, Tsubasa's phone went off.
        "I'm really sorry, I have to be somewhere at 8." He said, standing up.
        "It's fine." She said, standing up as well. "Take care." She smiled.
        "Oh Akari, one more thing." He said.
        "Hmm?"
        "I was invited to a black and white ball, it's for rich people and I wasn't originally planning on going. But I was wondering, if you maybe wanted to be my date." He said.
        "Sure, when is it?"
        "It's from 8 o'clock to 1 o'clock in the evening, on April 20th." He said.
Akari gasped. That's the last day before the magic runs out. "I would love to! What should I wear?" She asked.
       "Something white, it suits your personality. If you would like, I could make it for you."
       "It's okay, since you're going to be my date, I want to surprise you." She said.
       "Okay, I understand." He said. "Well, I have to go now." He took Akari into his arms. This took her by surprised, a pleasant surprise.  Her heart rejoiced as she hugged back.  He smelled of french vanilla;  his body was firm and warm. She gazed at him as he faded into the distance. Her heart felt as if it grew wings and caught a glimpse of heaven.. Maybe they could be....

        Akari's fairy godmother sat on couch in her small apartment, sipping her tea.  She was interrupted by a knock on the door.  She opened the door.  Her stomach dropped,  THe person at the door was her arch nemesis.
       "We need to talk."
       Her godmother looked up, her eyes meeting piercing gold eyes.  She reluctantly bowed, her blood boiling at the sight of the girl before her.  "Yes, your highness?"
       The Queen sat down on the couch. "I would like orange pekoe tea steeped for 3 minutes with exactly 1 half tablespoon of honey.  I expect it immediately."
       The fairy godmother nodded, immediately getting up.  "As expected of Elza, barging into my apartment and making demands." She muttered.
       "What was that?"
       "Nothing."