Need a break from work, so I start writing out of the blue.
And when I reminiscence about the things Ryouha and Nagisa did when they were younger, this kind of drabble popped out.
Please just read this with a feeling as light as how I intend to write it.
<<What's that supposed to mean?
Enjoy~~
~ Of Jealousy and Drunkenness ~
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“It's late...”
Kitagawa Ryouha sighed as she looked at her phone screen, watching the digital clock on it.
01:30 am
She let out another sigh and put away her phone, hugging her knees as she reached for the TV remote once again, surfing through the channels with no interest whatsoever. She's getting sleepy. The girl let out a small yawn before glancing at the empty bed beside her.
AKB was having a concert for the last three days, and since she's the only kennin member left from SKE she had to share a room with another member from different group. Ryouha was very anxious of this idea at first; she's not really that close with other AKB members and she wasn't sure she's able to share a room with someone she barely knew. What's worse, she also couldn't stand staying in a single room by herself as well. It's either walking out of her comfort zone or cowering alone in the corner. Both are the choices she didn't want to take. Thanks heaven though, whether it's a stroke of luck or management arrangement Ryouha wasn't sure, she ended up not taking any of that option.
The person she's sharing the room with turned out to be Shibuya Nagisa, her fellow Tentoumu-chu member from NMB and also one of her closest friend. In fact Ryouha couldn't ask for anything better. She didn't remember ever sharing a room with Nagisa before; well, actually they did three years ago when Tentoumu-chu was shooting a documentary but it doesn't count since there's five of them staying in the same room. In short, this would be the first time with only the two of them. And somehow the thought made her a bit giddy.
It's been a while since she last met Nagisa and she had missed the older girl. The two of them had been very busy with their respective group that they didn't have time to talk like they used to; they did met in several joint events and handshakes, but it's mostly ended with a short greeting and quick smiles before they had to return to their own agenda. Really. She got so many things to tell her and in return she also wanted to know what Nagisa had been doing for the past few months. The concert had finished now, and finally they could get a good quality time to share with one another.
Or so, Ryouha thought.
“Where are you... idiot...”
The girl grumbled and turned off the TV, falling to her side as she sulked on the comfy bed. Of course. Ryouha knew. Being such a people-person Nagisa would definitely accept that invitation to an after party by other members. Especially with the girl turning 20 recently, the party would surely drag on even longer as they drunk the night out.
She might as well forget all about me by now... Ryouha sighed, curling herself into a ball as she closed her eyes. She didn't like this. What's the different with her staying alone now? If she knew it'd be like this she's better off sharing with another person—
THUDRyouha blinked, sitting upright as she heard the loud sound from the corridor.
W-who is it? This late at night... The girl thought to herself as she hesitantly walked toward the front door.
Is it Nagisa? She quietly mulled as she peered through the small hole on the door, trying to identify the figure behind it.
A-ah, it is her. Ryouha let out her breath in relief as she saw the familiar figure, putting her hand on the doorknob. But still, something felt odd. She remembered Nagisa bringing her own key, so why would the girl knocked the door instead? And there's also the bell on top of it. Moreover, she didn't understand why but Nagisa was practically planting her head to the door. If her eyes wasn't mistaken that is.
Could it be that the loud thud was also from that? Ryouha shook the matter off and pulled the knob, and as soon as she did that, her questions were quickly answered.
“E-eeh!?”
The girl's body fell as she pulled the door open, and Ryouha put her arm around her in reflexes, stopping her before she hit the ground.
“N-nagi? What happened to you?”
Ryouha could hear some inaudible mumble from the girl.
“...too much ...head hurts...”
“...”
“I can'r drink anymoooree~~”
Ryouha stared for a while, before she closed the door and dragged the girl inside, putting her down carefully on her bed. She sighed and took a seat on her own bed.
“Nagisa... are you drunk?”
“Whuuh?”
Ryouha let out another sigh as she heard the slurred speech, shaking her head.
“Didn't you say that you'll stop before that?”
“It wasssn't my faaault~!”
Ryouha flinched as Nagisa suddenly pushed herself up, swaying left and right slightly; she almost afraid that the girl would lose her balance.
“The senpai told me to drink sum' moore... Can't back down on thaaat...”
“...”
“Hm, yeah, yeah. That's riiight...
B'coz I will take the top!!”
I don't even understand what she's talking about anymore... Ryouha quietly thought as she saw Nagisa pumped her fist to the air and laughed, watching the girl falling back to the bed right after. She knew how much of a sore loser Nagisa was though, so the girl probably saw how the older members drank a lot and decided to follow through. Yeah. That's definitely what happened. She let out another sigh and stood.
“Okay, I get it... Just stay there, okay? I'll get you some water.”
“Hm, hmm...”
Ryouha couldn't help smiling as she heard the quiet hum, taking a glass with her to the sink. She handed the cold drink to Nagisa, which the girl gulped down quickly without a pause.
“Gaah, that was great~”
“...are you feeling better?”
“Yeah. Thanks a lot, Ryouha.”
The girl's face still looked a bit flushed but she seemed to have sobered up a little; Ryouha thought as she muttered a quick 'okay' and took the glass, putting it away on the faraway table.
“Nee, Ryouha...”
“...?”
She glanced at the source of the voice, seeing Nagisa waving her hand slightly, telling her to come closer.
“What is it—“
“Rawr!”Ryouha gasped as the girl suddenly jumped and pulled her into a bear hug, making both of them fell to the bed.
“N-nagisa!?”
“I caught Ryouha~ Aha ha ha~”
“...”
S-she's still drunk. Ryouha thought in panic as she tried to wrestle herself out of the older girl's grip, finding it harder than she thought.
“Heh. I'm stronger than you now, Ryou-chan. Ya can't call me a grandma anymore~”
“...eh?”
Ryouha blinked, trying to figure out what the girl was talking about. ...ah, yes. She thought she remembered calling her that way back in a certain variety show. But it was nearly three years ago!
“I'm doing strength training everyday now. You won't beat me.”
“I thought you said you did it... to improve your dance..”
“That also. But mostly so I can do this.”
You sore loser... Ryouha put on a childish pout and Nagisa chuckled, snuggling her nose to the younger girl's cheek.
“And this is payback from three years ago.”
“...which one?”
“Remember Hawaii? Ya hugged me all night till my body felt all sore the next morning.”
...did she? Guess she did... Ryouha couldn't really remember. She did remember that she was so attached to Nagisa since the first time they met, but now that she finally grew older she found her own actions to be a bit... strange. She's not a friendly type of person, and especially not the type to start a conversation, but whenever she saw Nagisa she would always ran to her side and started talking as if it was natural. She always felt at ease around her. And likewise, when she saw Nagisa talking with other members she couldn't help feeling a bit jealous. ...why?
“Hm? Ryou-chan is troubled 'bout something~”
“N-no, I'm not...”
“Angry 'cuz I'm stronger now~?”
“...no.”
She trailed off, seemingly unsure of herself. Nagisa blinked as she heard that, studying the girl's face.
“Ooh, I get iiit~~”
“...?”
“Ryou-chan's jealous 'coz I played with the others?”
“H-huh?”
Ryouha gave her a perplexed look as Nagisa poked her cheek, cooing at the younger girl.
“Don't worry~ Yer' always be my number one, Ryouha~”
“...that's what you said.”Nagisa stopped poking her cheek and Ryouha looked away, suddenly embarrassed of her own words. Why would she even say that? She had no right to be angry like that. Nagisa is free to spend her time with whoever she want. Besides, what is it about saying she's the number one? The girl was still drunk. Definitely. Ryouha took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
“S-sorry, Nagi...”
“...”
“Just forget what I said—“
“Fine.”
Ryouha flinched as she heard the girl changed her tone, feeling the mattress shifted a bit as the strong grip disappeared from around her neck. She shifted her gaze upward, seeing Nagisa towering above her on all four, her jet black eyes looked down on her blankly.
“N-Nagi...sa?”
Ryouha stuttered, nervousness suddenly invaded her as she saw the smirk on the girl's face.
“Fine, I'll prove it to ya.”
“W-what... do you mean...?”
She shrunk under her gaze, feeling her heart beating against her ribcage as the girl grew closer. Her warm breath brushed her skin, giving off a faint smell of alcohol that almost felt intoxicating, making her own temperature rose. Ryouha yelped and closed her eyes.
...
...
...
THUD—“!?”
Ryouha gasped and jolted her eyes open, feeling the sudden weight on her body. She glanced to her side, finding Nagisa had fallen on her with her head resting beside hers.
“...Nagi?”
No response. Only the girl's slow and quiet snore.
She's asleep... Ryouha let out the breath she was holding, feeling her nervousness slowly slipping away. She carefully moved the girl away, fixing her pillow and pulling her blanket up to her chin.
“...geez, you're such a handful.”
She stared at the sleeping face for a while, before she pouted and pinched her cheek, earning a small groan. Ryouha huffed. Her heartbeat had finally calmed, but the warm feelings in her heart stayed.
“Can't you even finish what you started...?”
She whispered under her breath, before planting a soft kiss on the girl's lips, a very soft chaste kiss.
And Ryouha smiled.
“That's my payback... for making me realize... that I have fallen for you, Nagisa...”
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of Jealousy and Drunkenness // END