I FINISHED IT. ...2.5 years after the last update
Ok, so the epilogue is kinda shitty, but I did what I could. I suddenly figured it out while in the shower and today is the WORST possible day for me to have this happen since I have to get ready for work and we have a HUGE client meeting.
My muse has a wicked sense of humor.
So, here are the last few parts that I never posted, plus the epilogue. Also, I swear to God I wrote more but I can't find it (dammit).
PART 37
MAKI - OCTOBER 5TH
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked to make sure I hadn't missed a message.
Nothing...
I peered over my menu at the dining couple at the next table. Smiling, happy... pleasant conversation, a sparkle in the eye... they looked like the ideal couple
...this was not good.
I drummed my fingers on the table and checked my phone again as a gentle peal of laughter drifted over.
This was very not good.
I glanced down at my watch. 30 minutes.
I glared over my menu at them. THIRTY minutes?!
I grabbed my phone and typed out a quick text message.
I sat back in my chair and waited, staring at them.
Aya jumped a little and reached into her purse to pull out her phone, smiling apologetically.
I glared harder. You have nothing to apologize for, I wanted to yell over.
A slim, manicured hand reached across the table and gently grasped Aya's arm. Rika smiled and murmured a few words before releasing my girlfriend. Aya flushed and put her phone back in her purse without reading my message.
My eyes narrowed. This called for drastic measures.
Slowly, careful not to draw attention to myself, I stood up from my seat. Then, quickly, I ducked behind a passing waiter and went into the restroom.
I counted to ten before cooly walking back out into the restaurant. I looked over at Aya and Rika's table and gasped.
"Aya! Rika!" I exclaimed, walking over to them. "What a surprise!" Aya stared at me like I was insane.
"Gocchin..." Rika said quietly. "If you don't mind - "
"Joining you? What a great idea!" I smiled broadly, taking a chair from an empty table and pulling it up to theirs. I sat down and grinned at them. "So, what's good here?"
"...uh, well, um, let's see, what did I have..." Aya stammered, still staring at me like I'd grown a second head.
"Aya, it's ok," Rika said calmly. "I'll handle this."
I raised an eyebrow. Excuse me?
"Maki, Aya and I are actually in the middle of a date," Rika explained quietly.
"Oh, was it going well then?" I asked with a tinge of annoyance in my voice.
"Maki!" Aya hissed.
"Very," Rika smiled. My eyes widened in disbelief as she reached across the table and picked up Aya's hand. "In fact," Rika continued, gently caressing that soft, precious hand. "We were just about to discuss the possibility of... dessert." Rika smirked and brought a blushing Aya's hand towards her lips.
Before I knew what I was doing, I had snatched Aya's hand away from its predator. Rika raised an eyebrow.
"Aya doesn't want dessert," I snapped.
"I don't know," Aya giggled. "I'm not quite full...."
"What are you in the mood for?" Rika purred, leaning forward.
"Hmmm..." Aya looked thoughtful.
"Like I said before, Gocchin," Rika smirked, reaching across the table and grabbing Aya's other hand. "I'll handle this."
"Ok, you want dessert? Let's get dessert!" I exclaimed cheerfully, waving the waitress over.
"May I have my hand back, please?" Aya asked, looking extremely amused. I flushed and quickly dropped her hand.
"Your wish is my command," Rika said smoothly, pressing her lips to the top of Aya's hand before gently releasing it. I glared at my new rival.
"Can I get you anything else?" the waitress asked.
"Can I get the strawberries and cream, please?" Rika asked.
"Of course. And for you?" the waitress asked, turning to Aya.
"Oh, we'll be sharing," Rika smiled sweetly. The waitress nodded and walked off to fill the order.
"What no, Purin?" I asked snidely.
"Don't you have some boys to touch?" Rika shot back.
"Ladies," Aya scolded. "Let's not fight. There will be enough dessert for everyone." My jaw dropped and I stared at Aya incredulously.
"I don't really like to share something like that!" I exclaimed.
"Oh, Gocchin's greedy?" Rika smirked. "I rather enjoy being... giving."
"Nothing wrong with giving, but I don't give away what's mine." I replied, glancing over at my Aya.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but at this point, I don't think you have anything to give away," Rika retorted. I glared at her.
"Maki," Aya warned softly. Rika glared at me.
"Here we go! Strawberries and cream!" the waitress exclaimed perkily, setting the dish down in the center of the table. "Can I get you... anything... else...?" she trailed off and stared at my glare battle with Rika.
"No, thank you," Aya said kindly. The waitress nodded weakly and made her retreat.
Without breaking eye contact with me, Rika reached down and picked up a strawberry. She smiled sweetly at me before dipping it in the whipped cream and turning to Aya.
"Say ah~," Rika sang, holding the berry out.
"She can feed herself!" I snapped, making Rika jerk her arm.
"Look what you've made me do!" Rika complained, putting the strawberry down and gesturing at the whipped cream on Aya's chin. Rika slowly licked her lips. "I guess I'll just have to clean that up myself...."
"THAT'S IT!" I exclaimed.
"Maki..." Aya hissed at me.
"No! No, I am not going to sit here while Rika propositions you every five seconds," I said to Aya. "I was fine rescuing you from the insane dates your supposed 'best friend' sent you out on. But this...! No." I turned to Rika. "Aya is MY girlfriend and you need to back the hell off. So drop the shitty Mr. Moonlight impersonation. If you so much as touch her again without permission, you are going to have a black eye to distract from that giant chin of yours. Got it?"
Rika's jaw dropped and she gaped at me.
"We're leaving." I grabbed Aya's arm and quickly escorted her from the restaurant.
"Maki?" Aya asked quietly a few minutes later when we were safely in the back of a taxi. I winced. I was in for it.
"Yeah..?" I asked nervously. Aya grinned.
"What's for dessert?"
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PART 38
RIKA - OCTOBER 5TH
"No! No, I am not going to sit here while Rika propositions you every five seconds," Maki snapped at Aya. "I was fine rescuing you from the insane dates your supposed 'best friend' sent you out on. But this...! No." She turned to me, her eyes blazing. "Aya is MY girlfriend and you need to back the hell off. So drop the shitty Mr. Moonlight impersonation. If you so much as touch her again without permission, you are going to have a black eye to distract from that giant chin of yours. Got it?"
I stared slack-jawed in disbelief at Maki. I couldn't let myself process what she had just said. I was being pushed to my limits as it was.
Maki grabbed Aya by the arm and hauled her out of the building. The door shut behind them. I slowly counted to ten and pulled out my cell phone.
"Hello?" she answered. I smiled. I could hear the tension in her voice. This whole ordeal had been exhausting and she just wanted it over.
"This is Agent Ishikawa reporting in, Commander," I said seriously. There was a snort of laughter on the other end.
"What happened?"
"As Commander Fujimoto instructed, I took out the target, Ms. Matsuura to dinner at a moderately priced restaurant," I replied.
"Rika..." she sighed.
"Commander Fujimoto also instructed that I treat Ms. Matsuura to the worst date I could manage," I continued.
"...but?" she said hopefully after a moment.
"But," I grinned. "As you requested, I ignored Commander Fujimoto's orders and instead attempted to literally charm the pants off of the fair Ms. Matsuura."
"And?"
"And I was making very good headway into my mission, however I was suddenly interrupted by rebel forces."
"Rika, stop being an idiot," she sighed. I laughed.
"Like you wanted - Maki got pissed, came over, declared Aya as hers, insulted me, and dragged Ms Matsuura out of the building," I replied.
"YES!" she exclaimed loudly.
"That was my ear..." I groaned.
"Sorry."
"Anything else Agent Ishikawa can do for you, Commander?" I grinned. She laughed.
"No, Agent. You're released from duty. Thanks a lot."
"Any time," I replied.
"And, um... not a word of this to Miki, ok?" she said nervously.
"My lips are sealed," I promised.
"Thanks again."
"Glad to be of service, Yocchan. I will be returning to the Viyuden Corps then. I'm really in the mood for some dessert..."
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PART 39 - MIKI
OCTOBER 6
I flopped down across the couch while Yocchan did some sort of interpretive cleaning dance. She had been obsessively listening to the same few songs for two straight days now in preparation for an upcoming dinner show. She knew the damn things backwards, forwards, and upside down by now and seemed to be a little slaphappy this morning.
I looked at her critically for a moment.
"...was that the Sexy Boy dance?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. She whirled around and wiggled her fingers in my direction.
"The Ue Ue goes with any song!" she declared dramatically before turning back to her dusting. I just shook my head and flipped through a nearby magazine.
"CHA CHA CHANCE! MUTEKI NO IKIOI DE!" blared suddenly from the kitchen. Yossy and I exchanged glances.
"I've been doing Heisei all week," Yossy said slowly. I sighed and dragged myself to my feet.
"What idiot taught Koharu to change ringtones anyway," I muttered.
"That would have been you, dear," Yossy replied. "You thought it would be a funny way to torture Sayu."
"Ah, yes..." I grinned. "Good times." I flipped open my phone. "What?" I answered.
"Always lovely to speak with you as well, Mikitty," Aya replied dryly.
"AYA!!!! WHAT A SURPRISE!!!" I squealed in a fake perky voice. "Better?" I said in my normal monotone.
"Much," she sighed.
"So how was the daaaate?" I asked with a knowing grin.
"Oh, it was fine..." she replied distractedly. I froze.
"...fine?" I repeated. Was Rika that bad at acting like the date from Hell?! "What do you mean 'fine'?"
"I need to tell you something..." Aya said in a weird voice.
"...oh my God, you slept with Rika!?" I exclaimed. Yossy dropped the stack of magazines she was holding.
"WHAT!?" Yossy yelled. I winced.
"Geez, inside voice. The apartment isn't that big," I called over. She muttered an apology and bent down to pick them up. I walked over and smacked her ass before plopping back down on the sofa.
"What the hell would possess you to say that!?" Aya snapped in my ear. "Need I remind you that YOU are the one obsessed with sex, not me."
"Mm, we'll see," I muttered. "So, what then?"
"I... I've been seeing someone," Aya said quietly.
"What?! Who?" I exclaimed. My carefully laid out plans!! All for noth-
"...Maki."
I may possibly be the greatest mastermind known to man.
"Maki?" I repeated, trying to sound casual. "Goto Maki? Makira Makira?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Yossy looking over at me with interest. I waved her away in an 'I'll tell you later' gesture.
"...yeah," Aya replied.
"I never pegged you for a boob girl, Matsuura," I grinned.
"...that's it?" she said in a strange tone.
"What?"
"You're not going to flip out and rant about how she almost broke you and Yossy up?"
"I don't 'flip out' that easily," I replied.
"HA!" Yossy's short laugh burst out from the other side of the room. I turned and glared at her. "...sorry," she muttered.
"So... you're ok with this?" Aya asked slowly.
"Absolutely!" I enthused. "Although..."
"Yeah?"
"I am wondering... How are you able to kiss? With all that boobage in the way, I'd imagine you'd just bounce off one another..." I mused.
"Miki!"
"I do want to know when exactly this happened, as I find it very unfair that you've been holding me to a bet that I already won," I smirked.
I could hear Yossy open our bedroom door. ...I really hope she doesn't see that pile of clean laundry next to my bed I've been meaning to put away... for a week... or two...
"You didn't win," Aya laughed. Huh?
"...come again?"
"I said I was seeing her," Aya replied. "I didn't say I was seeing her naked."
"...WHAT?!" I yelled.
"...ok, I *had* an ear..." Aya groaned.
"Sorry," I dropped my voice. "Are you telling me that you haven't slept with Maki yet?"
"That is correct."
"But, but... but why!?" I sputtered.
"Because there's more to a relationship than just sex," she laughed.
"But... but that's... I mean that's true, but... but why!?" I felt like I was going to cry. My plan had worked perfectly, but Aya the Prude wasn't budging.
"Because we're not ready to take our relationship to that level yet," she replied calmly. "If you're ready to admit that you're obsessed with getting laid, I'd be more than happy to - "
"I'm not!" I snapped.
"Then enjoy your cold showers," Aya chirped sweetly.
"Bitch," I muttered.
"Learned from the best," she retorted.
"You suck," I grumbled.
"No, I don't. That's why I'm winning the bet," she laughed.
"GAH! I HATE YOU!" I yelled.
"Love you too, 'Tan," she replied.
"...Bye," I muttered.
"Bye bye~"
I hung up the phone and walked into the bedroom. Stupid Aya with her stupid non-libido. She needs therapy or something. That's just not right. ...stupid.
I froze.
Yossy was standing in front of the bed, completely naked with a happy expression on her face. I sighed and shook my head. Her face fell.
"...not?" she said sadly.
"Not," I repeated, plugging my phone into its charger.
Yossy threw a blanket over her head and gave a wordless yell of frustration before marching into the bathroom - blanket still on her head - and turning on the shower.
I began hitting my head on the wall.
Stupid Aya.
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EPILOGUE - SEVERAL WEEKS LATER
"Goto Maki graduation!" the TV announcer announced in that cheerful, yet serious tone that they always have. Miki absentmindedly flipped through the channels.
"Bath's free," Yossy announced, wandering into the living room while towel drying her hair.
"Maki's graduation was finally announced," Miki replied.
"Finally, geez..." Yossy plopped down on the couch next to Miki.
"I can't believe they tried to pull that 'break up or else' crap on her and Aya," Miki laughed. "They really should have checked the contract expirations before doing that."
"Well, maybe they've learned their lesson now..." Yossy trailed off at Miki's expression.
"Idiot."
"What can I say, I'm an optomist!" Yossy laughed, throwing her towel on Miki's head.
Miki cackled, whipped the towel off her head, threw the remote to the floor and started smacking Yossy with the towel.
"Who are you, Hetare?" Yossy laughed. Miki paused.
"...Hetare?!" Miki exclaimed.
"Yeah, that witch person you played in - "
"Hectate," Miki deadpanned.
"...oh."
"Hectate."
"...sorry," Yossy said sheepishly. Miki sighed and went to put the towel away.
"Yocchan, stop leaving shit on the floor!" Miki yelled from the bathroom.
"Ah! Oh hey! Miki! Your boyfriend's on TV!" Yossy called loudly, hoping to distract her girlfriend.
"Huh?" Miki walked in and started laughing. "Shouji! I haven't seen him in ages. I need to call him up."
"Should I be jealous?" Yossy grinned.
"He's really nice and funny - you should come with me to meet him," Miki replied.
"Well, he is an awesome beard," Yossy laughed. "Maybe we can convince him to donate if we ever have kids."
"...k-k-k-kids?!" Miki sputtered. Her eyes glazed over and she stared into space with a dreamlike expression. "I think I'd like a boy first, and then a girl... "
"...uh, Miki?"
"...of course that's not for a couple years..."
"Miki?"
"...and I'd have to get married to Shouji so the media doesn't freak out...." Miki trailed off and continued staring into space.
"...Miki, your face is creepy."
END
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And now I must sprint to get ready for work.