Finally updated, Yay!
But I'm not sure whether this chapter's good enough or not... It might be boring... If so, then I apologize in advance. I was only aiming in introducing the characters on this one.
Anyway, have fun reading.
Also, I got lazy by the ending. Sorry.
Chapter 1Imagine yourself sitting down on one of the seats inside a certain train where a girl is dozing off right beside you. As the time passed by, she would slowly begin leaning down towards your shoulder as she grew deeper into her slumber. Now, normally, you would try moving away to avoid that from happening, correct? But what if on your other side, the person sitting beside you is a drunken man who looks like he’s about to throw up any time soon? Are you still going to try and move away from the girl or are you going to let her rest her head on your shoulder?
I chose the latter one, just so you know…
And because of that decision of mine, I met her. The girl who shook my world and the girl who threw my life into turmoil… Be it in a good way or in a bad way.
-
I was on my way back to my apartment by the time I met her. As usual, the trains were packed with people, so I had to run as fast as I could just so I could get a seat. Standing up is a great burden, you see. If you decide to ‘enjoy’ your whole trip home while standing and you’re a girl, a big chance of having your bottom touched is high. That’s why I hate males; all they do is harass here, harass there, flirt, drink, harass more and so on. In my point of view, they’re nothing but filths in this world. But that’s another issue.
When I first entered the train (while panting heavily), I thought that I was ‘lucky’ since there was still a space for one person on one of the seats inside the train, and most of all, the girl occupying it is from the same school as I am. So I thought that sitting there would be safe.
At first, she just continued on clicking away on her phone’s buttons as I sat down right beside her. But after a minute or two, she began muttering things such as ‘Chiyuu’ while reading her messages. By the time the train finally continued on moving, she was beginning to doze off. Quite a fast mood swing, yes, but I tried to ignore it. At least now, she’s quiet… Was what I thought.
As time passed though, her head slowly began leaning down towards my shoulder, and as soon as the train we were on passed by the second station, she was already resting her head there. I wanted to move away, really, but I didn’t want to move closer to the drunken man sitting on my other side. So there I was, stuck on my seat with a girl who I don’t even know resting her head on my shoulder.
Soon, my stop was drawing closer. And yet, the girl still didn’t show any signs of waking up. I tried shaking her, flicking her forehead, poking her cheek and even slapped her, but to my dismay, she still continued on sleeping.
We are now nearing the next station; please clear the door for people to exit and to get it as we get there…Hearing the announcement, I could feel that we were getting more and more closer to the station I was supposed to get down to and as a result, I began to panic and shook the girl beside me violently. But as expected, she still wouldn’t budge and instead, just let out yet another ‘Chiyuu’.
The door not far from us opened soon after, indicating that we have arrived.
People began walking out of the train, and at the same time, more passengers flooded inside, making it even more impossible for me to get out. I hurriedly placed both of my hands on her head and tried to push it off, but by the time I finally freed myself from her, the door shut close and the train resumed on driving away.
This is the pits… Was the only thing I could think of at that time.
The train eventually passed two more stations with the two of us still stuck on the same seat. Rather, I was the one forcefully stuck there. I already gave up a long time ago. I had no other choice. She wouldn’t budge an inch no matter how hard I tried, so I see no point in trying to wake her up anymore.
Finally, after more than an hour of sleeping, she opened her eyes.
“Nhh…” She muttered as she straightened herself up. Rubbing her eyes like how a kid would do it, she looked around her quietly. Then up to me, outside the window, then in front of her, breathing out a relieved sigh, “Ah… Tomo didn’t miss her stop. Lucky~”
Maybe you didn’t miss yours, YET. But I missed mine thanks to you.
I furrowed my brows down as I stared at her, and as though she sensed it, she turned her attention to me and stared as well with her head slightly tilted to the side. She blinked, lifted her brows up and then snapped her finger. “Oh, right! Thank you for lending me your shoulder.” She said with a smile plastered on her face. “Tomo didn’t cause you any trouble, did she?”
After pursing my lips into a thin line, I let out a heavy sigh. “Aside from the fact that I missed my station thanks to you and I had to sit down next to a drunken old man, no, not really.”
Her eyes widened a little, “Eh? Drunken old man? Uwah… I’m so sorry; Tomo just suddenly fell asleep without noticing it and rested on your shoulder… You should have woken Tomo up instead so you wouldn’t have to go through all that. Not to mention that you missed your stop as well… Really, Tomo’s so sorry, please forg-”
I hurriedly ‘slapped’ my hand over her mouth, “Stop, stop, stop! Okay, I understand that you’re sorry. It’s not your fault that you fell asleep and I did try waking you up to the point that I poked my pen inside your nose-” Hearing that, she blinked with her eyes slightly widening and her hand placing itself by her nose- “But you didn’t budge an inch. It doesn’t matter if I missed my station anymore, it’s not like someone would be worried anyway so I’ll just take another ride home by the next station, so you can stop your apology madness now, understand?”
She frowned, “Yes… Chiyuu…”
Soon, the train’s attendant announced that we were about to stop on a certain station; Hearing that, the people who were once sitting down stood up as they prepared their selves in battling out the train, the said station is known for being crowded, you see, and as soon as a train makes its stop there, people would immediately begin flooding in and out of the train. It’s like a rally battle.
Rather, it’s like hell.
“This is Tomo’s stop.” The girl muttered before standing up. She suddenly held her hand out to me soon after. “You’re going to take your ride back to your station here, right? It’s hard getting out from the train so hold Tomo’s hand. I have a secret that makes exiting easy.”
Now that I think about it, she’s been saying Tomo this, Tomo that. Referring to your self in third person… That’s kind of weird.
Just what am I doing, anyway? Here I am, trying to keep my ‘words’ of living alone without a single friend and yet I’m talking to a stranger so casually. Not to mention that she’s of the same school as me… I just hope that she wouldn’t talk to me if ever we were to bump into each other.
I reluctantly held her hand and pulled myself up.
“Ready?” She smiled at me. I simply nodded my head in response. “And…” The train’s door finally opened, revealing the pack of strangers waiting just outside it. Just as when the passengers in the train were about to make their move out, she yelled; “NOBODY MOVE! THIS IS A HOLDUP!” Seeing that everybody followed her order and stopped moving, her smile widened slowly and without any further ado, she ran out of the door- dragging me with her.
“Eh? W-Wait, are you crazy?! What on earth are thinking? Really, a holdup? And will you stop dragging me already?!”
She slowly stopped by the station’s exit, slightly slumping her body down as she panted lightly. “It worked, didn’t it? We escaped the endless pool of people in a breeze.” She smiled again and lifted her fingers up into a victory sign. “Tomo’s plan was a success!”
I wanted to slap my forehead so bad. “By making such a terrible joke? What if a police was nearby and thought that you were telling the truth?! I would be dragged into trouble with you as well.” Letting out a sigh, I slightly lifted my hand up so I could wipe my sweat away from my forehead- only to find out that she was still holding it.
“If that happens then I’ll take responsibility and say that I was planning to use you as a hostage since you were the nearest person.” Her voice suddenly turned cold- Well, not cold but it was different from earlier. It wasn’t all childish-like and cutsey but instead, it sounded like how a normal high schooler’s voice would be. Looking up at her, I could see that she had a serious look plastered on her face as well. Not to mention how she halted talking in third person. “That’s why, you don’t have to worry.” She added after a short pause.
“Say that to me after you let go of my hand.”
“Eh? Ah… Hmm…” With her silly self returning, her once serious face immediately faded away as she puckered her lower lip up and shifted her brows down. So much for being serous, I see. “No.” She said with a smile. “Since you said that you’ve had enough of my apologizing, at least let Tomo treat you into dinner for suddenly dragging you around like that. How does that sound?” Placing her right hand above the other, she slightly tightened her hold on mine. “Come on, say yes. Please? It’s my treat.” She shook my hand like a kid.
Letting out another sigh, I used my free hand to pinch the bridge of my nose. Great, all of this is making my head hurt now… “Your treat, really?” I placed my hand down and stared at her uninterestedly.
“Yes, really.” Her smile widened. “If you want, you can choose whichever place you want to eat as well!”
“Well… Since you insist…”
A small smirk rose up from my features.
“I have a certain ramen shop in mind.”
-
I couldn’t help myself from grinning as I watch her stare down at the bowl of ramen before her with a disappointed look plastered on her face. The current shop we were in is well known for having a terrible ramen- though I personally think that it’s quite delicious. Just like how one idol said it in a variety show once; the cabbage’s hardness, the meat’s taste along with the ramen blends together perfectly.
But other people find it disgusting. I sometimes don’t understand what most people are into anymore. In fact, I think they’re just overreacting and wasting good food.
I was about to eat my ramen until I heard her exclaim “Ah, mou!” and stood up. She pulled out her wallet not long after and paid for our ramen before grabbing me by my wrist and dragging me away.
“Hey- Wai- I thought we just finished talking about dragging me around?! And I haven’t even touched my ramen yet! Listen to me, oi!” As per norm, I furrowed my brows down as I tried catching up behind her and occasionally stumbling around. This girl walks to fast, no kidding.
“Tomo’s not eating that ramen.” She halted as soon as we were far away from the shop. And once again, she didn’t let go of my hand as she turned around to look at me. “That’s why we’re eating somewhere else.” I may just be imagining it due to the darkness around us, but I think I just saw her pout.
Placing my hand on my forehead, I let out a sigh. “So much for making me choose, I see… And where do you plan on taking me this time?”
“Eh? Uh…” Looking up at the sky, she placed her free hand under her chin and began stroking her invisible mustache. What is she, an old man? “Ah, I know! Let’s eat in Tomo’s apartment. Tomo will cook us dinner! How does that sound?” She grinned.
“I don’t know… I mean, I don’t even know if you’re good in cooking or not.”
“If you can eat a ramen like that then I’m sure you can eat Tomo’s cooking too.”
Touché.
“It’s fine. I think I should be heading home now, anyway. There’s school tomorrow and it’s already dark out. My home’s an hour away from here as well.” I tried shaking my hand off of her grip, but to my dismay, she only tightened it as a response. “Hey, hey. Let go of my hand, will you?” I furrowed my brows down for the hundredth time.
She pouted and shook her head stubbornly. Seriously, she acts like a kid too much. “I refuse! You can sleep in the apartment if you want. I’ll lend you my uniform too! We go in the same school anyway, so we can go there together.”
“Are you crazy? It doesn’t matter whether we’re schoolmates or not, there’s no way I’m sleeping in a stranger’s apartment.”
And what happened to your third person speaking manner?
“So you’re saying that you’d rather walk home in the dark from the station even though it’s already past ten o’clock? Isn’t that much dangerous than sleeping in Tomo’s apartment? We’re both girls anyway so there’s no way either of us is going to harass each other. Isn’t that awkward? And if something happens to you, Tomo will get in trouble too. Just accept Tomo’s offer already, mou.”
Ah, it came back.
“So you’re not letting go of my hand until I say yes?” I lifted a brow up.
She nodded her head while looking up at me with her eyes filled with determination.
“Never.”
This is the pits…
“Alright, fine… But before that, tell me your name first. It’s weird if I go and sleep in someone else’s apartment without even knowing her name.”
Her smile appeared in her face again. But this time, it was much brighter than the earlier ones. In fact, this one’s bright enough to blind even those who are wearing sunglasses. Okay, I’m exaggerating, I know.
“Kasai. Kasai Tomomi. And you?”
“It’s Itano… Itano Tomomi.”
And just like that, my world slowly flipped upside down.
Topic: Tsundere! (TomoTomo) [Chapter 4] 10/2 (Read 21822 times)