Emphatically not a date chapter.
“For me, it’s more like two years.” Kaname folded her arms. “And… to put it charitably… they’re designed for function rather than form.”
“As for me, they’re all selected by my mother or sister and getting on the short side for my age.” Momomi sighed. “It looks like we should spend some time on clothes shopping, don’t you think?”
“I hate that kind of thing.”
“Well, I don’t like it either. I had servants and relatives to do those things for me, so I’m hardly experienced. Actually, I’m almost looking forwards to the novelty of the experience.”
Kaname remembered the Momomi that fussed over her hair and straightened her necktie compulsively. “Actually, I think you might enjoy it. I, on the other hand, absolutely despise everything like that.” Besides, it’s expensive…
“I guess that’s to be expected.” Momomi shrugged on her school shirt, which was blue enough to pass, as well as one of her skirts, which was intended for a slightly younger girl.
Looks tight, and… how do I say this… a little on the short side. Kaname looked away and pulled out her own clothes, dressing in a T-shirt and a grey hoodie. And trousers, thank God. I’ll wear trousers whenever it’s physically possible. They’re just better in every particular, as far as I’m concerned. We don’t exactly match very well, but it can’t be helped. Finally, she took out her purse and put it in her trouser pocket. And then there’s that consideration. Obnoxious term fees may be paid for, but the scholarship doesn’t make much more provision than that, except for food and breathing. And it’s not like I receive any from mother. So I saved a couple of yen yesterday…either way, it will be a stretch just to eat out. Forget clothes shopping. I’m damned if I’m going to admit as much, though.
Momomi herself shrugged on a brown coat and picked up a certain envelope, flipping it between her fingers awkwardly. She’d already opened it; it was a present from Yukaho, and contained enough money to pay Kaname’s mother for a month’s full time work. The brown-haired girl appeared acutely aware of the disparity. “I’ll pay for everything. That’s only fair, as it’s my occasion we’re celebrating.”
Kaname scowled. “I don’t want charity, you know.”
“It isn’t charity, I wouldn’t do something like that.” Momomi glared at her friend. “You’d be a doing a favour to me, as I don’t want this money. I don’t like anything associated with my family, so it suits me just fine to spend it as much as possible.”
“You can afford a pretty casual attitude, can’t you?” I’m being unfair, I know. It’s not like it’s Momomi’s fault that she’s born rich, and she is trying to be sensitive. But it’s hard to resist feeling just a little bitter.
“Perhaps I can, but I’m not changing it for you. Get used to it.” Momomi stuck the envelope in the inside pocket of her coat. “And I’m paying, because of that, for me rather than you. If we don’t get decent clothes soon enough, it’ll just be embarrassing come summertime.”
“I can buy my own clothes, thank you,” Kaname retorted unconvincingly.
Momomi sighed. “For God’s sake, Kaname… if I call this an early birthday present, will that help?”
“Alright, alright. Do what you like.”
There was a knock at the door, which came in good time. Kaname sighed and walked over there, opening it and glaring out. “Hi. Well?”
“Good morning. I came to apologise,” Shion explained, bowing slightly. “It looks like I can’t make today, you see.”
“You can’t?” Momomi asked, moving forwards to stand besides her friend. “Why not?”
“Apparently, today’s important for that play we’re putting on. We need to get through the paperwork and application details in preparation for the presentation to the Etoiles. So I really need to be here helping Tsukimi-san.”
“I see. Too bad.”
Shion smiled. “I’m very annoyed, actually. I wanted to have fun with you two and the other two. Things are always interesting when we’re all together. But I’m sure you’ll be able to enjoy yourselves without me.”
“Well, we aren’t exactly going to be crying, no,” Kaname said coolly. “I’m sure we’ll be able to handle the intense trauma of your absence.”
“You’re still the same as ever, I see. Just in different clothes. I’m very intimidated, Kenjou-kun.”
Kaname rolled her eyes. “If you’re scared by a thirteen year-old Catholic schoolgirl in a hoodie, you’d probably give yourself a heart-attack just walking the streets of my home.”
“To be fair, you’re a pretty scary thirteen-year old schoolgirl,” Momomi pointed out. “Shion’s scarier, of course. Just in a different way.”
“And Kiyashiki-san can be a little worrying as well. It’s a sign of intelligence. If people are comfortable with you, you’re probably doing something wrong.” Shion looked up proudly.
“Well, that attitude explains a lot,” Kaname muttered.
“You’re not exactly best-placed to talk, Kenjou-kun.” Shion smiled. “At least I’m not feared because I might beat the hell out of someone at the drop of a hat. In any case… looks like I needn’t have worried.” Shion waved. “Have fun, you two. I’ll be going.”
“See you.”
“Hey, wait!” Momomi raised a hand. “Have you talked to Isae yet?”
Shion stopped and looked back over her shoulder. “Not yet. I’m working on it.” She walked away.
“Working on it, my ass.” Kaname sighed and closed the door, leaning against it. “But there’s a girl with a sense of timing. This is why I never get involved in extra-curricular activity, stuff like this happens.”
“I wonder… well, I suppose she can’t spend all the time with us.” Momomi walked over to the mirror, checking her hair and brushing an errant lock into place. “It can be hard to tell, but I do think Shion is important to Spica.”
“And she’s important to us, as well. It sometimes feels like she has both those things to avoid having to have actual friends her age.”
“I think you’re right, really.” Momomi went and sat on her bed, stretching slightly. “It’s weird. There’s no reason why she should be unpopular or a loner… I mean, she’s a little weird, but that’s never stopped anyone with her confidence and personality.”
“Well, that’s a question that can easily be applied to us, can’t it?” Kaname sat opposite her, looking at her friend with interest. “The answer is that we choose to live like that.”
“I just wish I knew her reason. I mean, Isae-chan’s one thing, but this would definitely be an overreaction if it’s just from that.”
“Shion’s Shion. Go figure.” When Momomi still looked dissatisfied Kaname shrugged. “Well, you can ask her if you like. That’s the best way that I can see. But she’s smart enough to be able to look after herself. We should probably sort ourselves out before we try and lecture anyone else about being antisocial.”
“You’re right,” Momomi agreed. “Well, that’s another thing we have to work on. This popularity thing should be easy enough, right?”
“Well, Amane manages it, and she doesn’t even try. It can’t be too hard.”
“I don’t really know where to start… maybe I’ll ask the Etoiles for tips.” Momomi smiled. “Now there’s a pair who’ve mastered the personality cult.”
“Eh, let’s worry about that later. This is a day for relaxation, right?” Kaname checked her watch and stood. “We should go and all.”
Momomi nodded, pushing herself off the bed and slinging her bag across her shoulders. “For carrying stuff later,” she explained, when Kaname gave her a questioning glance.
“Well, it doesn’t look too bad.” Kaname frowned. “Are we having breakfast in the canteen, or what?”
“Isn’t it more interesting to have it in town?”
Kaname considered making another comment about money, but decided against it. I don’t want too sound too twitchy…besides, it would take a more heartless person than me to blunt her current enthusiasm. And that’s saying something. “I guess you’re right.” She smiled. “You’re determined to get everything you can out of this, aren’t you?”
“Well, I do have something to celebrate. Besides, a chance like this definitely isn’t usual. To be able to skip a whole school day…”
Kaname opened the door and stepped out. “That reminds me,” she said glumly. “How many days of school are we going to have to catch up on after today? I mean, on top of this, there’s Friday as well, and bits and pieces elsewhere too.”
“I’m in denial about that right now. It’s not interesting or unusual. It’s really boring instead. So I’ll worry about that tomorrow.”
Kaname smiled again, looking ahead. “Right, right.”
They started to walk towards the gates, ignoring the strange looks of the other students up so early. “That’s an annoying thing about this school, though,” Momomi sighed. “It’s so large and isolated. It’ll take us at least half an hour to actually reach the town.”
Kaname nodded. “I’ve always wondered why that’s the case. This would be a decent location for a prison, honestly. Do they have hidden cameras everywhere and dogs that can chase down any of us that try to escape?”
“They’re worse than that. They have a crazy girl with a katana in a position of responsibility over us all.”
Momomi’s phone rang as they walked down the corridor. She frowned and flipped it up. “Hello? Oh, Amiki…” She blinked. “You too? Oh, that’s… Shion came to me to apologise as well. I… see. That’s unusual timing. Really… I understand. Well, it’s a shame. Look after her, will you? Tell her to get well soon… I got it. Bye.” She folded her phone up and sighed, rolling her eyes. “Well, that’s just great.”
Kaname stared at her. “What’s up? Amiki?”
“Apparently, Olesa’s come down with some kind of illness. Bad food, my ass. This is way too suspicious.” Momomi put her phone back into her jacket pocket. “And of course Amiki has to stay and tend to her sickly ojou-sama like a good servant. What a bizarre pair they are.”
“Well, don’t be too surprised. She is paid for it.”
“I’ve probably said this before, but Amiki looks like the type who’d live this way even if she wasn’t paid.”
Kaname shrugged. “I guess so. I used to think that was completely stupid, but now I think I know where she’s coming from. Just a little.”
Momomi looked away. “I know what you mean. And I’ve always wondered… what’s Olesa like, when it’s just them? I do wonder at her personality when she’s alone with Amiki, and she can finally be herself, dropping her damn robotic persona.”
“We probably won’t ever know, unless we bug their room,” Kaname observed. “She’s way too proud to ever lower her guard around us.”
Momomi smiled at her friend. “A little familiar, isn’t it?”
“At least we never changed ourselves as a defence mechanism, to shut everyone out.”
“Actually, I think we did exactly that, and even now, we’re a little defensive. I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing, but it won’t work now.”
“The more you say that, the scarier you make it sound,” Kaname replied.
“In any case, those two are probably curled up in their room, playing Starcraft, and we’ve been left in the lurch.” Momomi sighed. “This stinks of a conspiracy, through and through.”
“It’s a pretty pointless conspiracy,” Kaname said. “It’s not like we’re not going to go, or anything. We’ll just have to manage like this.”
Momomi gave her a sidelong glance. “I guess you’re right.”
They stepped out onto the grass, looking round. The sun was bright but low in the sky, slanting light through the trees and into Kaname’s eyes without providing much in the way of warmth. Crisp is the most charitable way to describe this morning. But it’s a little pretty, all the same. “Do you want around and see your family off?”
“Not particularly. I’m a little afraid to.”
“Hey, you shouldn’t be intimidated by what your father said,” Kaname said, glancing at her friend. “Isn’t better to challenge him?”
“There’s nothing to gain. I know what I’d see and hear.” Momomi stuck her hands in the pockets of her coat, looking glum. “I’d rather not see him being the bastard he is, shouting at everyone and everything else. If I leave now and don’t see that, I can pretend that the more reasonable man is my father instead.”
“That doesn’t sound very honest.” Kaname shrugged. “Well, he’s your father, your business. But I still have that promise to keep… it’s a little unfortunate.”
“What are you talking about? Tell me already!”
“You don’t remember? I’m slightly offended.”
Momomi pushed her friend playfully. “If you don’t stop talking around the subject and elaborate, I’ll definitely punish you somehow.”
Kaname shrugged casually. “It looks like I’ll have to be punished, then. It’s not something I can afford to tell you.”
“Then I won’t hold back.” Momomi struck a dramatic poise, pointing playfully up at her friend’s face. “I’ll drag you to every clothes store in town and make you suffer horribly!”
Kaname winced. “You’re as cruel as ever, aren’t you? That’s just too harsh…”
“Well, there is an easy way out, you know.”
“It’s tempting. No, I must be brave, and not allow myself to succumb to your vile threats.”
Momomi pouted at her. “We’ll see if you’re still saying that after the hundredth outfit?”
“The hundredth? How much money are you going to spend?”
“You look at lots of things, and put them on, and pay for only a few of them,” Momomi explained facetiously. “I think that’s what sis said about the process.”
“If only that worked at restaurants…” Kaname mused.
“Well, however you look at it, I don’t think they want their products back once you’ve tried them.”
“Really? Never stopped anyone from my hometown.”
Momomi giggled. “That’s not funny in itself, but you sound almost proud when you say that.”
“Perhaps it’s just a cultural thing,” Kaname deadpanned, “but it’s never felt like a real meal out to me if you don’t get smashed and throw up. That’s why I don’t eat out, ever.”
“Well, I know the feeling. I was raised under the strict understanding that less food is better, and so more expensive, and if you were full something had gone wrong somewhere.” Momomi tucked a strand of brown hair out of her eyes. “So it’s probably best if we keep those preconceptions out of the way, right?”
“I’ll say.”
They began the trek down Astraea Hill, chatting away happily. Kaname looked around in a momentary lull, enjoying the feel of a cool wind running through her hair. It’s something I’ve noticed, but our conversations always seem to move sideways. Wherever we’ve started, we’ll always end up somewhere else completely, often within a few seconds. And we rarely run out of things to say, which is bizarre in itself because we do almost everything together. It’s not like we have the time to accumulate experiences apart and exchange them. But even more than that quality, we don’t have awkward silences. Even when we’re not talking, it’s comfortable, and it’s enjoyable for me just to be in Momomi’s presence. I’m not sure why, but that’s just the way it is. I can’t say it’s something I’ve ever felt before. She slid her eyes sideways, smiling slightly. And that’s something I’ve noticed. The one strand of hair that keeps falling into her eyes, so she keeps brushing it away, with a quick touch of her fingers. It’s strangely interesting to watch, because it has that nebulous quality… what was that Greek guy? He kept having to push a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll down again. That guy. Now, I’ve always wondered why on earth he kept trying when the sensible thing would be to tell Hades to drop dead and stop working. But I wouldn’t say that with Momomi, even though her own exertions are equally futile. Unlike an ugly, sweaty man struggling under the heat of an undying sun, Momomi’s gentle touch on a winter day is an interesting thing to watch. Continual effort can be worthwhile to watch, if the process itself is interesting. In other words, it’s really kinda cute. Just like a kid struggling with their fringe.
“What are you staring at?” Momomi demanded, pouting slightly.
“Nothing in particular,” Kaname replied innocently. “Don’t mind me.”
Momomi smiled again. “Hmm. Well, if really do find me irresistible I guess looking can’t be helped.”
“Hey, you-” Kaname paused for a moment. Wait, cute? Well, isn’t that almost the same thing? “Don’t say such stupid things,” she mumbled.
Momomi prodded her on the arm again. “You’re way too defensive, just like always. Aren’t I allowed to tease you?”
“I get more than enough of that from Amiki. Don’t you start now.” Kaname looked away, lost in thought. Well, I meant cute like a child, of course. And I’m not into children so it’s nothing like that. It’s just funny and restful, that’s all. It doesn’t help when people make all these weird accusations.
“Alright, alright. Too close to the mark, I suppose. Sorry.” Momomi smirked.
“You’re way too playful today,” Kaname sighed. “But that reminds me… I was meaning to ask you. Is your cute girl Olesa?”
This time, Momomi gave her an annoyed look. “Say what? Don’t just make random guesses about that! It’s a secret, I told you!”
“Well, you’ve taken a lot of interest in her, and you’re anxious to get through to her,” Kaname pointed out. “Considering you’re both pretty alike, I was wondering whether she might be the one. You might end up with Amiki as a rival, though.”
“Now who’s misinterpreting a perfectly innocent thing…” Momomi sighed. “Well, you’re completely wrong. You’re not very good at this, are you?”
Kaname just shrugged. “Well, I’m not very experienced, but I’m still interested. Is it someone I know?”
Momomi folded her arms. “No guessing and no clues! If I ever do tell you, it won’t be now.”
“Bah. Alright, I’ll just keep guessing inside my head…” Kaname looked into the forest surrounding them. I’m a little disappointed, because it would be nice to be the first to know at a time like this. But I guess she’s keeping her cards close to her chest, even with me. Well, she’s also woefully inexperienced, so it’s hardly surprising. She frowned. “Just as long as you don’t start writing poetry.”
Momomi gave her friend an annoyed look. “Hey, I’m not a lovesick dolt, you know. I’d never do something that embarrassing.”
They ended up at Astraea Lake’s true front gates, which were actually wide open. Kaname was almost surprised by that. “Looks like this place isn’t a prison after all.”
“Well, when we think about it… did we ever actually go and look at whether we could just walk out?”
Kaname frowned. “Ah, I get it. We don’t need to be imprisoned physically if we’re imprisoned mentally, right? The narrow thought they encourage prevents us from looking too hard for a way to go outside.”
“Well, actually, I was referring to the fact that we’re lazy, apathetic bastards.” Momomi shrugged. “I guess your way works too.”
“Oh.” Kaname decided to shut up and carry on walking. She looked around at the suddenly open panorama. “When I look at it, though, I’m still getting a weird feeling. In Astraea you’re always surrounded by forest, whichever way you look, it limits your horizons. But out here there’s nothing like that, and you can see a long way.”
“For now, anyway. When we get to town, it’ll be just as confined as before.” Momomi yawned. “At the expense of sounding too philosophical early in the morning, I’ve always found it interesting how humans always seem to narrow their environments like that. When you think about it, you could have a pretty large tract of land for each and every human on earth, even now. Of course, things aren’t that simple, but we still congregate above and beyond our strict need.”
“Well, that’s just basic fear, isn’t it? Safety in numbers… a basic tenet of survival, right? When we’re afraid, we seek company, which makes us feel less afraid. It’s hardwired into our instincts to act that way, fear’s a motive force and not even a weapon will reassure us more.”
Momomi smiled. “It’s very… Kaname, to bring it down to that. And here I was thinking it was the social instinct of humanity. No man is an island, and such beautiful things.”
“No one rule can describe all of man. That’s the way I see it. But…” Kaname looked around. “Even though there are plenty of material reasons, and the social aspect as well, I think there’s something to be said for the fear of empty spaces. When we clump and build towers we can pretend we’re not so dwarfed by the sky.”
Momomi moaned and rubbed the side of the head. “God, this is too early in the morning for philosophy. I’m sorry I ever raised the issue.”
Kaname snorted. “Can’t keep up, is it?”
“No, I’m fine. You’re talking in such a blunt way as ever, Kaname.” Momomi smiled. “But I’m always impressed when you get like this. You don’t act like it, but you can actually think pretty deeply.”
“Don’t be too surprised.”
“Of course, it’s hard to tell when you’re around people…”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” Kaname looked away. “I wouldn’t waste my time talking like this with normal people.”
Momomi giggled. “Is that a compliment? Well, I’m no different, I suppose. I’m always afraid and a little embarrassed to talk like this, but it’s easy with you. I suppose that’s trust.”
Kaname blushed. “That’s probably misplaced,” she mumbled.
“Probably,” Momomi agreed easily.
Kaname sighed. She’s far more distracting than Astraea’s trees, so that I completely lose sight of the horizon I was marvelling at a moment ago when she’s talking, or even when she’s just by my side. That would be the social instinct she was talking about. I used to be so proud of being alone…so much for those days. And I’m at the town before I know it, which definitely limits my horizons. We should just sit in silence at some point, isn’t that more soothing? Well, we do that all the time anyway, I suppose, but this is new, and I’m not actually very keen on new things.
“What do you want for breakfast?”
Kaname considered. Something cheap? I hate having to think like that…”How about something simple, Japanese style? I’m so spoiled on their varied breakfasts at Astraea I’d give quite a lot for traditional food.”
Momomi pouted. “Do we have to? Too much fish.”
Kaname laughed. “Of course, I’d forgotten. If you plan on living here, Momomi, you’d better get used to fish. It’s a staple of our diet.”
“You think I don’t know that? This is the modern world, damnit, I don’t have to eat fish! There’s plenty of other stuff to eat, even Japanese style.” Momomi gave her an annoyed look. “It’s a family thing, alright? It’s not like I’m picky or anything.”
“I’ve noticed. I’m still amazed you want to go native on me, though. You don’t exactly match any of our supposed cultural characteristics.”
“Well, do you? Aren’t girls supposed to be quiet and retiring, or something?”
“Well, no, but that’s always the way. It’s a generation gap, right? That’s the way it always goes, so I suppose they’ll just have to get used to you as well.”
Momomi nodded. “Well, you hardly need to tell me about a generation gap…”
“In any case, I don’t suppose we’d get Italian food here.”
“Can’t stand it for breakfast anyway. Way too light.”
“English?”
“Are we going to find that very easily in a town like this?”
Kaname sighed. “Alright, alright. Japanese, and we can play the swapping game.”
“I don’t think they serve umeboshi for breakfast, Kaname.”
“I know. That’s why I’m sacrificing myself, but it’s your celebration.”
Momomi nodded. “Well, what choice do we have? I’ll go with that.”
“Okay. Just don’t do it- like that.”
Momomi wrinkled her brow. “Sorry?”
Kaname tried to sound angry rather than embarrassed. “Not in a flirty way, that’s all I’m saying.”
Momomi blinked. “We’ll, I’ll be the one feeding you…”
“That’s just what I mean!”
“Don’t be too loud, that’s even worse.” Momomi smirked. “The way you’re looking right now, any casual passer-by would think you had something to hide.”
“Shut up.”
“Alright, alright. I got it. Kaname won’t show her affections in public, because she’s a responsible and straight-laced girl… yeah, that’s consistent…”
“It’s only sensible,” Kaname replied defensively. “Even for me.”
Momomi sighed. “I don’t know why you care so much, but whatever.”
Kaname looked around. “Of course, I’ve no idea where to find a decent restaurant around here.”
“This is the problem with such short notice,” Momomi mused. “We have to plan in your style, which is to say, not at all.”
“I told you, it’s not like I don’t plan. I made a lot of plans for the whole deal with your father.”
“None of which we used.”
“Yeah, well, I also appreciate the necessity of occasional spontaneity. Thinking you can plan for anything is a fallacy, you definitely need to stay flexible.”
Momomi closed her eyes. “I appreciate that, and perhaps my words were ill-chosen. But are you seriously telling me that there’s necessary spontaneity in knowing where to eat? I should have taken a look at a map, at least…”
“That would have been boring,” Kaname observed. “We can just walk around randomly and see what we find.”
Momomi sighed and opened her eyes, looking round as well. “You’re right, of course, we don’t have any other option. Well, we could ask someone-”
“No.”
“Why not? Doesn’t that make more sense than wandering in circles hoping to run into one?”
“It’s really annoying when people do that without even trying,” Kaname said. “It should be an absolute last resort.”
Momomi gave her friend a critical look. “You’re very… male, Kaname.”
“Well, thanks for that.”
“It’s not necessarily an insult. But you do essay a lot of stereotypically male opinions, and this is definitely one of them.”
“Whatever. It’s hardly a deep thing, I just find it annoying to ask people for help.” Kaname folded her arms. “Come on, at least go through the motions of independent action before begging someone else.”
Momomi sighed. “This is why Shion bunking off on us is so annoying. She’d definitely have known where we could get a decent breakfast. More than that, she’d have a comparison chart in her head, with the star ratings all looked up and cross-referenced across multiple sources and a dozen customer accounts for each, along with a precise address.”
“You’re getting very dependent on her for information, aren’t you?”
“Well, I could do what she does myself, but it doesn’t interest me.” Momomi shrugged. “I’ll admit, I wouldn’t mind reading her files, though. Information is power, it's not just a quaint platitude. That’s why she does it. I’d enjoy stealing it.”
Kaname sighed. “Well, that’s all well and good. But it won’t find us a restaurant.”
It took twenty minutes and a lot of argument before they were finally seated in a small, fairly informal-looking place, ordering the standard breakfast. Kaname was relieved to see that it was within her budget, but it didn’t make her comfortable, either. It’s a difficult situation. While it’s nice I wouldn’t do this out of choice, but I can’t tell her that, either. I have my pride. And she does deserve a decent celebration, even if it’s just me and her. So I don’t really have any choice…being proud and good both is definitely going to swallow my wallet whole.
“So you’re from the school on the hill, right?” the owner asked in a friendly way, pottering about and seeing to their order.
Kaname rolled her eyes. No, we’re from Americaland, here to steal all your robots. Where else do you get teenage girls in a dump like this?
“That’s right,” Momomi said. “It’s to get out for a change.”
“We don’t see many of you on schooldays. It’s a little surprising.”
Thanks for the contribution, but isn’t that obvious? I mean, he’ll be telling us that our demographics appear to disproportionately represent the homosexually orientated next…
“It’s special permission, as I have something to celebrate. The Etoiles fixed it up for me.”
“Oh, of course… I hear a lot about them. They’ve come here once or twice, as well. Very striking girls.”
Now that’s an understatement. I pity you, though, if you tried to meet Kariya’s exacting standards. No doubt she didn’t tip you, not that I blame her. You probably interrupted her romantic date with her girlfriend with all your banal chatter.
“They’re quite outstanding. Well, that’s why they have the position, of course. So I guess it’s to expected.”
“It’s definitely unusual to meet people like them. The foreign girl and her extremely formidable friend… that’s why I like living here. You see interesting things.”
So we’re a zoo, now, aren’t we? I love the way he talks about the “foreign girl” to the half-Italian…Kaname looked around. They were almost the only people there, sadly. Which sounded like a great idea at the time but is looking increasingly dubious now. Will this guy ever shut up? We’re here for the food, not the conversation, which is just as well because you’d have to pay me before I voluntarily sat through this!
“We’re a very international school,” Momomi said diplomatically. “It’s a good experience for us, I think.”
“Well, here you are. And I threw in two extra servings of rice, on the house. Enjoy.” He smiled and retreated behind the counter again.
“Why, thank you. That’s very kind of you.”
Kaname glared. And you can tell he knows that we’re all fricking loaded, which is true enough…well, for everyone except me. Don’t expect me to be the naïve, rich type, and I won’t let Momomi be stupid either, even though she can afford it. It’s the principle of the thing that matters.
Momomi split her chopsticks, looking across the table at her friend. “Don’t look too gloomy, already. Is my company that arduous?”
Kaname looked back at her. “Well, not really. I was just thinking…”
“You’ve got all the time in the world to think when we’re cooped up in our room, but chances like this only come once in a blue moon. So let’s enjoy our time here, okay? Even if it is only the two of us.”
Kaname nodded. “Sure.” She raised her own chopsticks. “All things considered, it’s almost more fun this way anyway.”
Back to Astraea Lake Index - Back to Strawberry Panic Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction