Chapter 9-My Black Jealousy
Yuki's dad has the weekend off from work, so their whole family is having a barbeque.
Her dad said it was alright for her to invite friends(even though he's still coping with her newfound bright personal)and now she's telling her closest friends, Aki, Mocchi, Rie, and Mayu, of course!
"So, please? Can you come?"
"Of course, Yuki! I'll bring some snacks while I'm at it, too."
"Hmm... We do need some chips and dip..."
Aki snapped her fingers. "Done!"
"And, I'll make some of my famous family sandwiches! Without 'em, I wouldn't be working here!"
Yuki nodded and smiled at the bright and open suggestions from her friends.
She saw Mocchi slightly raise her hand.
"Eto... Perhaps, I could, erm...provide the..entertainment?"
"Sure, Mocchi. Know anyone good?"
Mocchi looked out a bit toward the door. Yuki didn't realize this, but she was looking at a certain ikemen passing by the classroom and down the hall, stretching his arms.
"...Yeah."
"Good!"
"And, me too! I have a great chocolate truffle recipe that'll knock your dad's socks off!"
Yuki gave her a "black" glare that said, "No magic allowed!" Mayu gave an okie-dokie sign to her and Yuki smiled back and did the same.
"Okay, we start today at 5:00 PM."
Hours and hours of boring school later...
Yuki was rolling up her sleeves, preparing the tables and umbrellas for the barbeque, cuz today was so HOT!
She wiped off the sweat on her forehead and batted down her legs to help the umbrellas stay secure.
Aki climbed up on the table and helped it fit into the hole.
"There!"
"Thanks, Akicha."
Rie and Mocchi were already setting up the tables, and Mayu was helping Yuki's dad decorate the porch.
Just after all the decorations were up, everyone swarmed in like flies.
Everyone was already so hungry, and all the food was so good.
But, it was so HOT out people couldn't stand it.
"Yuki, we need to do something... Looks like everyone's a bit bored."
"I know, Papa..."
Then, Mocchi came over to Yuki and dragged her onto the stage on the porch. She pulled her behind the curtains and smiled.
"What's wrong, Mocchi?"
"I found our entertainment."
Mocchi put her fingers in her mouth and whistled.
Before Yuki's eyes, Sae walked out carrying a guitar.
"S-Sae-kun?"
Mocchi giggled a bit, and left them alone.
"I'll leave it to you, Pokkun," she whispered to Sae before she walked out.
Sae was stratching his head and blushing a bit; Yuki was blushing, too.
"So... Yukirin... Is it alright if I, uh..."
"Ufufu. I had NO idea you play guitar."
"There's a lot you don't know about me," he said as he handsomely strummed a Latin chord.
Yuki giggled a bit.
"So, what song?"
"What songs do you know you can sing?"
"Hmm... Ah!"
Yuki whispered something into his ear that made him grin.
"Can you do that without music?"
"Of course, I know the WHOLE thing by heart."
"Awesome! Let's go."
Yuki signaled Mayu to come up on the stage and start.
"Hi~, minna! It's time for our special entertainment!"
*Cheers*
"Hai! Ehh...." From behind the curtains, Yuki handed her a small card. "Uh.. Ah! Singing AKB48's "Sakura no Ki ni narou," Kashiwagi Yuki-san, featuring Miyazawa Sae-kun on guitar!"
*More cheers*
The curtain opened and Sae started strumming the notes to the song on his guitar.
Yuki no longer had any fear and was ready to sing perfectly. She was full and confident, ready to take one more step toward her future.
She took a deep breath, stepped up to the mic, and began.
Haru-iro no sora no shita wo
Kimi wa hitori de aruki hajimeru'n da
Itsuka mita yume no you ni
Egaite kita nagai michi
Seifuku to sugita hibi wo
Kyou no omoide ni shimaikonde
Atarashiku umarekawaru
Sono senaka wo mimamotteru
Fuan sou ni furimuku
Kimi ga muri ni hohoenda toki
Hoho ni ochita namida wa
Otona ni naru tame no
Piriodo
Eien no sakura no ki ni narou
Sou boku wa koko kara ugokanai yo
Moshi kimi ga kokoro no michi ni mayotte mo
Ai no basho ga wakaru you ni tatte iru
Kyoushitsu no hinata no naka
Kurasumeito to katatta mirai wa
Ima kimi ga aruki dashita
Sono ippo me no saki ni aru
Mankai no kisetsu dake wo
Kimi wa natsukashinde ite wa ikenai
Kogarashi ni furuete ita
Fuyu wo koete hana ga saku
Dare mo inai koutei
Toki ni hitori kaette oide
Sotsugyou shita ano hi no
Kagayaite iru kimi ni
Aeru yo
Eien no sakura no ki ni narou
Sutaato no mejirushi ni naru you ni
Hanabira no subete ga chitte ite mo
Eda ga ryoute hiroge nagara matte iru
Dare mo mina mune ni oshibana no you na
Kesshin wo dokoka ni wasurete iru
Omoidashite
Sakura ga saku kisetsu ni
Boku no koto wo...
Ippon no ki wo...
Eien no sakura no ki ni narou
Sou boku wa koko kara ugokanai yo
Moshi kimi ga kokoro no michi ni mayotte mo
Ai no basho ga wakaru you ni tatte iru
*Loud applause*
Sae smiled big and hugged Yuki.
Yuki was a bit a surprised, but hugged him back.
As the curtain closed, they were still locked in that position, until Yuki suddenly felt her heart pounding more and more.
"Yukirin... you're so amazing!"
"..T-thank you, Sae-kun..."
"Hehe, drop the 'kun'! Just call me 'Sae'!"
His hug became tighter and Yuki was already blushing.
"Sae..."
Then, she felt it again.
The same, strange feeling she felt when she first hugged Sae.
"No... It can't be..."
They didn't notice, but Mayu was watching them from afar.
Mayu couldn't explain why, but her chest was tight and she felt like she was gonna cry.
[In Mayu's mind:
Evil Mayu: Huh?! How dare she do this to us?!
Sweet Mayu: Why? Why is she hugging Sae?
Normal Mayu: ....I....
Evil Mayu: She'll pay! SHE'LL PAY FOR DOING THIS TO US!!!
Sweet Mayu: Why, Yukirin? Why? Just why?
Normal Mayu: ...I...!
Evil Mayu: We'll steal him. We'll take Sae from Yukirin and make him ours!
Sweet Mayu: Sae-kun... Sae-kun!
Normal Mayu: ..I..!!]
"..I like Sae!!!" She wanted to scream, but it only came out in a whisper.
The next day at school, Mayu was hiding behind a wall, watching Sae talk to some of his friends.
"Haha! Of course! It'll be WILD and WET!!!"
"Whoo~!"
"Hey, hey, hey! No one's gettin' ME wet!"
"Oh~! Yeah, right! Are you calling me out, Miyazawa!"
Mayu clenched her hand, holding a small candy.
It was a caramel she specially made for one purpose: to gain Sae's affection.
As soon as the others left, Sae was alone, staring out the window.
Mayu slowly walked up and tapped his shoulder.
He turned and smiled at her cute little face; she didn't realize she was blushing a bit.
"Mayu, what are you doing?"
"Ah.. I wanted to thank you for the performance. You really helped us out."
"Ehehe, no prob! I'd be happy to do it again!"
Mayu opened her hand a bit and saw the candy, carefully and properly wrapped.
"I, uhh, made this for you..."
Sae saw it and took it in his hand.
"Ah! Now, you didn't have to do that!"
He unwrapped it and smiled at the cutely shaped caramel square.
"Do you like caramel?"
"Yeah," he said as he popped it in his mouth. "Mm~! But, not as much as... as...."
His chest got all warm and it felt like his heart was skipping and jumping inside of him.
At the same time, it was melting in pure happiness.
He looked back up and saw Mayu.
In one second, his head rushed with excitement and it felt like the air was light and lovely.
Sae had eaten a magic candy, and has fallen for Mayu.
"Not as much as I love you, Mayuyu!"
He hugged her tight and swung her around in his arms.
Mayu felt so happy seeing her spell had worked and she made a lovey-dovey Sae.
"Sae?"
They turned and saw Yuki just walking up the hall towards them.
"..W-wh-what's going on here?"
"Yukirin? Why are you..?"
"Sae! What are you doing with Mayu?"
Sae smiled stupidly again and blushed a bit.
"She's just so~ CUTE! I love, love, LOVE Mayuyu!"
"Mayuyu..?"
Mayu broke the hug and went over to Yuki.
"Yuki... I.. I really like Sae... Are you okay with that?"
Mayu couldn't tell Yuki about the caramel. She would probably hate her.
Yuki shook her head and smiled a bit.
"Yeah... I'll be fine. Besides, you two look really cute together..."
"Thanks... Thanks for understanding..."
"Mayuyu~!"
Sae called to her and ran down the hall.
"Coming! Bye, Yukirin."
"...Bye, Mayu..." Yuki clenched her fists a bit and felt her chest hurt. She was heartbroken. "Sae...!"
She ran to the bathroom and went to the nearest sink.
She splashed her face with cold water and started crying.
"Sae...! Sae...!!!"
---TBC---