Dear customer,
sankyuu for reading the previous chapter and even took some time to write a comment
I am supposed to post the third chapter, arent i? Lol, but, i guess this one is better in term of time? i mean because it is feb 14th, and coincidentally it is written last year for celebrating that 14th day, so i think this one is better posted now. Ah, and thanks to that certain senpai that asked me to finish this fic. Senpai, sankyuu. I wish you like the ending though. I think the third chapter is going to be posted soon..or not..:p Anyway, please enjoy the special event fic ^__^ my valentine gift for my dear customer, i supposed? And.., i just found out that i am missing a lot. Really..really a lot. Haish...i have to catch the missing time. That MM & H!P drama, that Sayu's drama, and someone's graduation which i dont expect at all, and a lot of updates too from the fic here. o___o;;
Ah well, enough of rants, and, i apologize for any grammatical and typing mistake m(_ _)m
Tokimeki Sugar?
The time when it went on dokidoki~“Hem…should I take a part time job? The things on magazine are expensive…” a young teen said while read a magazine.
“Eh? Why? Do you need money, Rina-chan?” another girl asked as she lazily flipping the TV channel.
“Huh? I want to buy Valentine’s present for my friends. Aren’t you going to celebrate it too with Shige-san, Eri-nee?” Rina answered while tilting her head.
“Eeeh??!! It’s already February??” Eri asked.
“Well, it only left 2 days to the day..and, yeah..it’s already February, Eri-nee…you forget, huh?” Rina said while chuckling slightly at her sister forgetfulness.
“Uhm, a lot of things are coming up, so I am sort of forgetting it,” she said while shrugging her shoulder.
“That’s so like you,” Rina said. “Anyway, Eri-nee, why don’t you tell me a little bout how you’re usually spent your Valentine’s day with Shige-san?”
“Eh? Why so sudden?” Eri asked confused by the sudden question.
“Nothing, just curious. Now, now..tell me already~ I wanna know, umm, what’re you doing last year?”
“Last year…?”
Flashback
February 13th 2010.
“Eri,” Sayu said while nudged an almost sleep Eri gently.
“Mmh,” Eri managed to say before she’s really off to the dream land.
“Eri, tomorrow, let’s go somewhere tomorrow, after the gifts exchange event with the girls, just the two of us. Do you want to? Well, It’s kinda like a date.”
“Eh??” Eri’s eyes immediately shot open as soon as she heard it. “Yeah, I want to!” she said happily.
“Good, then I will text message you bout it later, now…we have another dance practice,” Sayu said with a happy smile plastered on her face.
--
The next day, after they both finished the event with the other girls, they’re off somewhere.
“Nah, why are you keeping staring at me while we walked, Eri?” Sayu asked as she felt Eri’s stare on her as they started to leave Gaki-san’s house.
“Eh? Nothing…just…just..thought that youarebeautiful,” Eri said, her face turned into a deep color of pink.
“Eh?” it is Sayu turn to blush after she registered what Eri said. “Nah, you are also beautiful, Eririn,” Sayu said as she held Eri’s hand.
Eri’s face became redder after hearing it.
After a moment of silence,
“Say, where will we go, Sayu?”
“Hem..where should we go…? Ah, what bout the beach?”
“Eh?? Beach? But, I don’t bring any swimsuit..”
“Huh? Are you going to swim there?? It is still February, the weather still cold, even a turtle would freeze to death if they swim at such time…”
“Eh? Then what should we do there if we aren’t swimming?”
“Dunno~”
“Ah, maybe we could collect seashell?” Eri asked with sparkly eyes.
“Well, we may find some there..,” Sayu answered with an amused smile.
--
At the beach.
“Ehh? Look..look! A turtle,” Eri said while picked a turtle.
“Good, now, put it back there. Don’t bring it home, it will die if you bring it home.”
“Sayu, Sayu…look, seaweed!” Eri said, picked seaweed.
Sayu only watched Eri’s antics with a smile.
After some time,
“Eh? why are you looking at me like that, Sayu?”
“Nothing, ah, the weather is getting colder. Let’s go somewhere warm, you must be hungry too, right?”
“Eh? Playing time is over already?” Eri said with a little pout.
--
At the nearest restaurant.
“Eh?? The foods look really delicious~~” Eri said with a big smile as soon as the food arrive.
Sayu, on the other hand, stared at Eri.
“Eh? Why are you staring like that?”
“Nothing, eat a lot. So that you will be healthy,”
“Okay,” Eri said then she took a look outside, “Eh? The view is beautiful,”
Outside the window, there’s a wide blue sea.
“Yeah, it is beautiful,” Sayu said, took a glance outside. “But, I have a more pleasant view here, much more beautiful than that view.”
“Eh? where?”
“In front of me,” Sayu said as she gazed at Eri.
“Ehh??” It’s all that Eri could say before she tried to hide her blushing face and dug to the food in front of her.
--
At night, in front of Eri’s home.
“Are you happy today?” Sayu asked.
“Yep,” Eri said with a huge smile.
“I am happy to hear that you enjoy it, nah, now you go inside. See you later,” Sayu said, bid her goodbye.
“Yep, see you later,”
Flashback end.
“Eh? You are doing something like that?” Rina asked.
“Eh? Yeah, it’s so much fun, I am really happy,”
“Wait a minute, aren’t you the only one that’s being happy, Eri-nee?”
“Eh? What do you mean?”
“Well, if it is like that, it wasn’t looked like a date. You two didn’t even look like a couple. Shige-san looked more like your older sister or your guardian, I mean it looked like she was taking care of you instead of dating you.”
“Ehhh??”
“Well, let’s see, first a couple don’t usually pick seaweed from the sea while they’re on a date. Let alone pick a turtle,” Rina said, trying to explain the matter for Eri. “You see, in the movie or such, they’re usually just taking a walk or talking while holding hand, or watching the sunset together or even having a kiss or other romantic things..i don’t think that picking a seaweed is romantic at all..,” she added with a laugh.
“Eh?? That’s what we supposed to do at the beach??”
“Shige-san spoiled you a lot, she didn’t even complain while you are just playing with the turtle and seaweed, instead asking you whether you’re happy or not, tsktsk…,” Rina said. “Wish I get a boyfriend like that too.”
“Ehh?? Sayu isn’t my boyfriend!” a blushing Eri said.
“My bad, Shige-san is your Girlfriend, not your boyfriend..,” Rina said with a grin.
“Gah! Quit teasing me!” Eri said, flailing her arms.
“:lol: I’m sorry, you are so much fun to tease, well…sure, you have other date beside than that one, right?”
“Hmpth!” Eri pout. “Hem, well…the other time we have a date,”
Flashback
“Yo!” Eri greeted happily as soon as the door opened.
“Eh? Eririn? Why are you here?” Sayu asked, confused because as she could remember, they didn’t have any plan today.
“Ta~~ Da~~” Eri presented a box that she brought to Sayu. “I bring Taiyou no Uta DVD, let’s watch it together~~. You like this sort of movie, …..right?” Eri asked, somewhat worry that Sayu didn’t like the movie.
“Oh, Eririn~ Of course I like it,” Sayu said happily.
“Really? Yay!”
“Wai, you are so cute,” Sayu said.
“Awa..wa..wa..,” is all Eri managed to say when Sayu pulled her into a tight hug.
I don’t know that she could be that happy because of a movie. Maybe I should take her to watch movie more often. Ehh, maybe I should thank Gaki-san for telling me about the movie. --
15 minutes after the movie on.
Sayu’s covering Eri’s body with a blanket as the latter is already sleeping soundly. Sayu watched Eri sleep with a smile.
--
Two hours later, Eri was finally awake.
“Mmmh? Sayu?” Eri said, still feeling sleepy.
“Do you sleep well, Eri?” Sayu asked with a smile.
“Eh? Uhmm…yeah.,” Eri said while yawn a little. “Eh? We’re watching a movie before, right?” Eri said as she remembered why she’s there.
“Yep, but it’s ended hours ago.”
“Uhm..was the movie good?”
“Yeah, sorta~~ but, I got another interesting thing to watch beside the movie,”
“Uhm?” Eri titled her head.
“Eririn is really cute while she’s sleeping,” Sayu said. “I feel like I want to keep Eririn here and not letting her home so that I could see her cuteness everyday,” Sayu added with a smug smile plastered at her face.
Eri could feel that her face is heating up.
Flashback end.
“Eri-nee, your face’s red,” Rina said as Eri’s ended the story.
“Eh?” Eri’s covering her face with her hands. “Don’t look~”
That action earned her a good laugh from Rina.
After she finished her laugh, she finally managed to say, “Ah, anyway, I have an advice for you, when you watch a movie with your girlfriend, it is better if you don’t fall asleep as soon as the movie started. Seriously, you are the one that brought that movie to her house and intent to watch it with her, right? So…why were you sleeping like that?”
“Euhm...?”
“Oh well, that’s just an advice for you…,hem…but, if my boyfriend did that to me, I may be a little upset with him…because he is the one that initiate to watch a movie on my day off…yet he’s the one sleeping and leaving me to watch it alone…,”
“Ehh…but..Sayu said that she liked the movie…so I think she enjoyed the movie..,”
“Hem..well, that may be the case…besides,” her voice trailed off. “besides Shige-san will like everything that you brought to her,” she continues inside her head with a smile.
“Besides what? Eh…, why are you smiling like that?”
“Besides I want to hear more of your story,” Rina smiled widely.
“Well, on the other day,…”
Flashback.
“Oi, you two, let’s go inside. You are already here, so you have to enter, you have bought a ticket also…,” Risa said as she pulled Eri and Sayu inside the aquarium.
“But—I don’t like fish~~ why should we go there?” Eri protested.
“Eh? Because we’ve planned to have a double date today, and this place is well known for the romantic situation besides, it gives discount to couple,” Ai explained it while helped Risa to pull the girls inside the aquarium. “You are eating fish anyway just yesterday….,We have paid for the tickets, it’s such a waste if we don’t take a look inside…”
“But—that’s a cooked one,” the sound of Eri’s protest are remaining unheard.
Seeing this, Sayu gave her a sympathetic smile and squeezed her hand to calm her down. Eri calmed down a little and throw a grateful smile to Sayu.
--
Inside the aquarium is full of terror for Eri as all that she could do to protect herself is closing her eyes and holding into Sayu tightly.
“Seriously, you act like you’re going through the haunted mansion…the fishes aren’t even that scary…,” Risa said.
“But-it is scary,”
“Ah, Gaki-san..Ai-chan…what about we parted here? Me and Eri have another plan today, well we want to have our privacy time too,” Sayu said with a wink. “Ah, we could have other day to do a double date…well, we’ll choose the place the next time, kay?” Sayu said as she took Eri’s hand.
“Eh?” Before Ai and Risa could say anything, Sayu’s already lead Eri to the outside.
“Ah…young people this days,”
“You are still young too, Ai-chan, well…at least you aren’t as old as Nakaza-”
“Stop it, Risa. She will be angry if she heard your words,”
“But, we are thousands miles away from her home…., she wont hear it anyway, I will say it, you aren’t as old as Nakazaw-”
“No, shush, Risa…shush, she will hear us….well…let’s just continue our date,” Ai said and quickly pulled her girlfriend away before she could say anything.
--
Outside the aquarium.
“Where will we go, Sayu?”
“Eh? Dunno~~ I haven’t thought bout it…,”
“I’m sorry…,”
“Why?”
“Because i don’t like those fishes, you have to leave that place along with me…I’m sorry,”
“Eh? It isn’t because of you… I am not that kind, Eri. I do it because the aquarium is no fun..so, I drag you with me…,”
“Even though you said something like that, still…EH? Watch out!” Eri pushed Sayu aside so that she wont get hit by a ball.
“I’m sorry, are you two alright?” a girl from the nearby field approached them.
“Yeah, we’re alright. You have to be careful, how if the ball hit her?” Eri scolded the girl.
“I’m sorry,” the girl bow so low.
“Remember bout other people when you play so that other people wont get hurt,” Eri continue to scold the girl.
“Eri, it’s okay. She has apologized to us. Kid, here’s your ball,” Sayu said while handed the ball to the girl.
“Thank you, I’m sorry,” the girl said and bows again.
“It’s okay,” Sayu said again.
After the girl left.
“Are you okay?” Eri asked. “Seriously, kids these days…,”
“I am fine.” Sayu answered with a smile. “Thank you for saving me, Eri.” Sayu continued with a sweet smile.
“That’s uh…no problem at all…,” Eri said, blushing slightly.
“And, because Eririn is my hero…I will give you a reward~”
“He—hero? Eh..?”
“Yeah, you are my only hero. And, it is your reward,” Sayu said as she gives a peck to Eri’s cheek.
This action freeze Eri’s brain as she slowly touched the cheek that’s being kissed by Sayu.
Flashback end.
--
After Eri finished her story, she still could feel how hot her cheek, where Sayu kissed previously.
“Eri-nee, if previously your face is red, now….if anyone asked which one is redder between strawberries or you….the answer will be you…, your face look like a boiled crab,” Rina added with a laugh.
“Don’t’ look~” Eri whined while covering her face with her palm.
“Eh, but you are actually pretty cool, Eri-nee. Hero Eri~~” Rina said with sing a song voice.
“Stop it!” Eri said with a pout.
“Bwahaha~~” Rina laugh. “You are cute, Eri-nee~”
>.<
“Eh, by the way, what are you going to do with your date with Shige-san for this year?”
“Huh? I have a date with Sayu?”
“What do you mean?”
“I have a promise with her…?”
“Huh? You mean, you don’t have one? Eh? that’s strange…aren’t you always spending it with her?”
“Nah, actually I am not asking her about it yet, ehh..?? wait, isn’t it troublesome, Rina-chan…how if she already have a plan with someone else?”
“Hem? Then you better phone and ask her bout it,” she said while handing a phone to Eri.
--
“Hello? Sayu? Kame’s here,”
“Yeah, I know that it is you. What’d happened, Eri?”
“Eh, do you have any plan for on February 14th, Sayu?”
“Umm, I planned to spend it with you, well…except if you already have other person to spend that day -…”
“No! I have nothing to do tomorrow, even the day after tomorrow, of course I want to spend it with you!”
A light chuckle could be heard from the other line, “Ah, good to hear. Umm, for that day, what do you want to do?”
“Uhmm…ah…eh…uhm, ah, I will come up with something! Yeah, I will get one. So, you just wait and see,”
“I see. Then I will leave it to you, Eri. Eh, it is late already, shouldn’t you get some sleep?” a concern tone could be heard.
“Oh, right. I want to sleep. Then, good night, Sayu~”
“Good night, Eri, have a nice sleep, then.”
--
Seeing her sister happy expression and hearing some energetic sound that she made, Rina could tell what’s the result are. With an amused smile, she asked, “So, how is it going, Eri-nee?”
The answered that she received is a victory sign from Eri.
“That’s good to hear,” she said, chuckling lightly. Her sister is really cute this way. “Ah, then what is your plan for that day?”
“Eh? I don’t know,” Eri answered with a blank expression from her face.
“…”
“What about you, Rina? What would you give to your friends?”
“I will bake a cake, I think…because it is cheap.”
“Cake? Ah, I will bake a cake for Sayu, then.”
“You could bake a cake? Are you sure?”
Eri’s contemplating a moment, “I…am..sure. Eh..but, teach me how to make it, kay?”
“Well…let’s try it, tomorrow then,” Rina smiled but inside her head, she wonder if her sister really able to make one. “But, right now..maybe we should just sleep?”
“Yosh~”
--
“Nee, Eri-nee, you are going to take Shige-san somewhere?” Rina asked while they are shopping at downtown to buy the cake’s ingredients.
Eri scrunched her nose, “I want to take her somewhere but I am not sure where should I take her. You know…I want to take her somewhere special…but…hm, where should I take her?”
“I am not sure either,” Rina frown a little. Her eyes darted around the downtown to find something interesting, “Ah, that restaurant? That place seems to have a special event tomorrow, why don’t you bring Shige-san there, Eri-nee?” Rina pointed at a little restaurant at the corner of the street. “Let’s check that place,” Rina said again while tugging Eri to the said restaurant.
“Oh, they are having a discount tomorrow,” Eri said while looking at the notice in front of the restaurant. “And special event too, wah, this seems fun. I should really take Sayu here then, ” Eri said happily.
--
“Hm..what should I get for her?” Eri asked out of nowhere as they started to make a cake at home.
Rina gazed at her sister, “That one, you should think for yourself Eri-nee.”
“Ah..mou~” Eri pouted while stirring the dough and adding a bit of this and that. “What should I get for her….mmm, I cant sew anything, so giving her a handmade scarf is out of question, …mm,…but…”
--
Rina took a bite of her sister cake and almost choke because of it. “Eri-nee~~ it is salty~~ why are you mistaking salt with sugar. It is already the 4th cake that we made and it is still like this,” Rina whined.
“Eh? I really thought that it was sugar, Rina-chan~” Eri tried to defend herself.
Rina sighed and said, “You should try to make another one, Eri-nee. This time, make sure you are not mixing the salt and sugar anymore.”
“Yosh~” Eri gave a salute to her sister.
--
“Eri-nee, you will be late if you don’t go now,” Rina knocked on her sister room. “You don’t forget that February 14th is today, right?” Rina heard rustle sounds inside her sister’s room and before she knocked the door again, it’s already opened.
Eri appeared with sleepy eyes, “Of course not. I remember that today is the day. Anyway, I am off right now.“
“Wait a minute, you are not going to wear your pajamas on your date, aren’t you?” Rina stopped her sister before she could walk away.
“Eeeeh?!” Eri took notice of her clothes and dashed to her room to change her clothes. “I am going to be late!!”
Rina sighed at her sister, “I better prepare the cake that she’d wrap. Or she’s going to forget bringing it.”
--
Eri rushed to their meeting place, feeling nervous because she had been late for 30 minutes.
“Sayuu~~, I am sorry..i am sorry,” Eri said as quickly as she arrived in front of Sayu.
“It is okay. It isn’t the first time after all,” Sayu brushed Eri’s apologize as she felt that it is usual for her to wait for Eri. “So, where should we go?”
“Oh, I know an interesting restaurant. Yesterday I found it with Rina~” Eri said happily. “Let’s go there,” Eri offered her hands to Sayu.
Sayu accepted Eri’s hand gladly and they walk hand in hand.
--
“Wait a minute?! You don’t have any empty table?!” Eri asked the waiter.
“Yes, we are sorry, miss. But, it is really crowded today and even if there’s an empty table, it has been reserved yesterday,” the waiter apologize.
“But-”
“It’s okay, let’s go somewhere else, Eri,” Sayu took Eri’s hand and lead her outside.
“Ah, mou~ Where should we go…,”
“Well, for now, let’s just walk? We will eventually find a place,” Sayu smiled.
Ah, mou, I should have made a reservation yesterday. Right now, we are only walking aimlessly at this downtown at night. What should I do? I just want to make a memorable day for her…sigh, Eri..you are really an idiot.Eri tightened her hold on Sayu’s hand and opened her mouth to mutter an apologize, “Sorry, I should have prepared another plan just in case stuff like this happen. But, I am- sigh…I am sorry, Sayu.”
“Hmm, yeah..you should have planned it before hand,” Eri mentally scold herself after she heard it. “But, I don’t mind walking under the moon with Eririn,” Eri looked up upon hearing this and met with a smile. “I really like holding hands with Eririn like this,” Sayu smiled so widely at her that it is impossible for her not to smile back at Sayu.
She really is….In the end, they walk to the park near the downtown.
“Ah, Sayu…I am making a cake yesterday. Do you want to try it?” Eri asked while they sat on the nearby bench.
“Hmm, alright, I am hungry after all,” Sayu took the cake that Eri’s offer. After taking a bite, she got herself choked.
Eri stared at her warily, “How is it?”
“Hm, are you making it for me?”
Eri nodded.
“Well then, it is salty,” Sayu laughed.
“Eeeeh?! But, I was not mistaking the sugar with the salt again. Wait, ah! Rina must have packed the wrong cake~ I am sorry, I will buy something then,” Eri stood up from her seat.
Sayu, however, took her hand, “Sit here, I have not finished my sentence. Yes, it is salty, but…I don’t hate it. I like it, because you make it for me, so…I will surely eat it.”
“Eeeh?! But-but..”
“It is okay, you have put a lot of effort that make the cake taste good,” Sayu smiled again and continue to eat the cake. But, deep inside her head, she knows that she will get a terrible stomach ache tomorrow. It didn’t stop her from eating the cake though.
How many times has she made me fall for her again and again? After she finished eating, Sayu took something from her bags and gave it to Eri, “Your Valentine’s day present, you should give me something on White day, kay?” Sayu winked.
“Eh? Oh? You are giving me box full of marshmallow and sweets!” Eri shouted happily. “Thank you.”
“It is okay..but..like I have said before, don’t forget to give me something on White day, Eri~” Sayu said again.
“Eeehh??! No..wait, White day is too long from now. I might forget it. Wait, oh, right…I brought the present!” Eri suddenly said as she reached inside her bag to take out her present. “Ta da~” Eri gave the present to Sayu. It is a jar filled with paper cranes.
Sayu’s eyes widened at the gift, “Whoa, what is it?” She took the jar from Eri.
“Paper cranes?”
“I know that, silly. What I mean was, why are you giving me this?”
“You know, at first…I thought of giving you a handmade scarf, but..i am not that good in sewing,” Eri smile sheepishly and continue, “So, after spending hours on thinking the best gift for you, I come to conclusion that a best gift something that you wished. Because I don’t know what do you want, I decide to make these 1000 paper cranes because it is said to be able to be able to make wish come true. My wish when I make it was for your wish to come true.”
“Eri…,” Sayu hugged Eri and whispered, “Thank you.”
It made Eri felt really happy, “Ehehe, you are welcome. So..what’s your wish?”
Sayu looked above and stared at Eri’s questioning eyes, “Mmm, that’s a secret. It won’t come true if I told you~” Sayu smiled mischievously.
“Eeh?!” Eri stared in disbelief.
Sayu laughed a little seeing Eri’s expression before she leaned in and whispered, “Well, if you really want to know,…..i want to do this and that with you…you know…that’s my wish…now that you know it, could you make it come true?”
“Eeeeehh??! Wha- this—this—and—that---??! What--?!” Eri is blushing like mad.
What is this and that that she mean?! If..if she really say what I thought she is thinking and saying- ack..what am I even saying?!Sayu stared at Eri’s panic with an amused smiled. After some time, she decided to say the words she mean to say, “Eri…you know what this and that…that I mean?” Eri just stared wide eyed at her. Chuckling slightly, “When I said that, I mean I want to hold hands with you forever, I want to hug your warmth, I want spending my times with you, just like now. I want to love and be loved by you,” Sayu smiled earnestly. “Ah…but, judging from your reaction… you must be thinking about something pervert, right?” Sayu smiled smugly.
Eri didn’t know how she should react to Sayu’s words. Her mind’s swirling and swirling around. One moment Sayu is making her feeling all giddy inside, other moment she suddenly teased her without warning, other moment she is just blown away by Sayu, her mind literally went blank.
“Oh..come on..earth to Eririn. Stop playing with your alien friends and come back to me,” Sayu poked her after minutes of silence.
Eri snapped out of her trance and blurted out the words she rarely said, “I love you.”
Another silence.
Sayu stopped her action in poking Eri and blinked her eyes. Eri blinked her eyes back. She couldn’t believe what she just said. She just blurted it out spontaneously. She is somehow gotten another train of panic inside her head. It is not like she doesn’t mean it, it is just she never the one to say those words to the younger girl. Another poke on her rib brought her back from her trance. Before she could say anything to counter her previous words, a happy smile from Sayu made all of her words on the tip of her tongue gone.
“You idiot..,” was all Sayu said before she trapped Eri in another hug.
“I know that…,” Eri hugged Sayu back. Feeling happy when Sayu is happy.
--
“Thank you for walking me home,” Sayu said as soon as they arrived in front of her home.
“Un~” Eri smiled. “Nee, are you happy…Sayu?”
Sayu stared at her for a moment, “Hmm…today..i don’t get to eat inside a warm restaurant, eating a salty cake,” at this point, Eri frown her brows and hung her head low. “Having a date under the moon, gotten a wish as a present, and able to hear Eririn said that she loved me. Yep, it is indeed a loveable day,” Eri looked up and met Sayu’s gaze. “I am really happy today. Thank you,” Sayu’s face come closer to Eri and within seconds the gap between them is disappeared. It is a windy and cold night but Eri could feel the warmth from Sayu’s breath through her lips.
It is somehow different with my plan. I am clearly didn’t plan our valentine day to be like this but..if she is becoming that happy, today doesn’t seem to fail at all.“But, I still want to eat at a fancy restaurant next month~ Of course, you are paying,” Sayu said with a wide grin.
“Eeehh?!”
End~
A/N :
It ends lamely somehow xD
Topic: Loving You Forever [Tokimeki Sugar updated 2012 02 14] (Read 5083 times)