Strange Magic [A JUMP fic] Chapter 9: The Prank
Dammit I missed a day of posting x.x
Previously...
Though Hideki Aya did her best to minimize the rumors getting worse among the 2nd Years and the 3rd Years got to know Mitsuhiko Diei’s real relationship with Chinen Yuri, there was no stopping the gossip - and Yamada Ryosuke!
++++++
The moment the lunchtime bell rang Yamada was out of the Conference Room so fast he missed the moment Diei glanced his way. He dashed to his classroom catching Hideki Aya, Hitomori Yann and Chinen Yuri just about to get up.
“Hey,” Yann and Chinen said at same time.
“Are you alright?” Aya asked suspiciously of his out-of-breathlessness.
“We’ll eat lunch by the canteen,” Yamada breathed out heavily, trying not to show his exhilaration.
“Oh, iyaa, I don’t want to intrude..” Chinen hesitated.
“Yeah, come eat with us,” Yann invited him brightly.
“Unless you have other plans?” Yamada raised his eyebrows. He’d never been refused.
“Eh? No, none but..” Chinen’s eyes shifted from Yann to Yamada, unsure if he was really going to eat with the guy, but decided Yann’s probably worth it as he looked back at her. He couldn’t help but unconsciously flash a smile her way. “Ah, alright!”
Yann could feel a thrill at that bright smile, she almost had a feeling it was for her, but nah, she didn’t wanna hope that much. She and Chinen almost bumped into each other as they tried to get through the door at the same time, but the boy proved a gentleman as he waved his hand with a flourish for her to go through first, which sent both of them chuckling quietly.
Yamada, who was taking note of whether the room had less people now, missed this brief exchange. “I just need to get something, some papers, see ya there!” he said hurrying to his seat.
As he grabbed for his bag, he realized Aya followed him but he didn’t mind her knowing of his plan.
“Whaa -?” was all Aya could say before Yamada overturned his bag on his desk and the noise and clatter from all his things spilling out drowned her words. He didn’t reply or tell her anything though, until he found what he was looking for: a small glass bottle of something like dust inside. It was corked shut tight, as if it was never opened before, with a gold thread and a tag made of brown paper with cursive writing on it.
Aya gasped. “You still have that?”
“Never leave without it,” Yamada pulled the cork off sniffing at it, a manic glint in his eyes. “Yes, not too smelly; perfect.”
He was almost at the door when Aya yanked his arm hissing, “You are not doing what I think you’re going to do!”
"What? It’ll just be a small prank, calm down.”
“What’s a small prank?”
Both turned around sharply and saw Nakajima Kento leaning by the door. Yamada grinned and clapped Kento on the shoulder indicating he come with them out of the room. He raised the small bottle up for Kento to see, while Aya shook her head behind them. “This, my friend, is my lucky charm. Got it a few years back. Probably just some laxative powder, and I know someone perfect to prank it with.”
“You’re out of your mind, what if that’s poisonous?” Aya glared bullets behind their heads as Kento burst out in laughter.
“Perfect! I love pranks! Where’s the git?” Kento was already looking around for Chinen.
“You don’t know him so don’t call him a git, he also have a higher I.Q. than you,” Aya reminded him.
“Ahh, but I bet he’s as gullible as he looks,” Kento countered, ducking under Yamada’s arm to clap both his hands on his shoulders. “Plus, we’ve got more cunning!”
Yamada looked back at Aya as they rounded the last stairs to the ground floor, catching her hissing like an angry cat. “Relaaax, c’mon just this once? Pleeaaase~?”
Yamada was using that puppy-eye pleading thing and though Aya was never one of the girls who get charmed by him, she knew that the prick would probably devise something worse if he wasn’t allowed this as his revenge.
“Urrghh!” she threw her hands up making that giving-up exasperated noise and hurried to the canteen before the two. He wanna go through with this she’s washing her hands clean.
Yamada loves lunchtime. If the mornings are for the sempais, the noon was for the campus crushes and idols which is mainly, him. The few select people he sits with at the same table were not all from his class, but aren’t too shabby in the popular department as well, who are also mostly members of the Soccer Team he is captain of. He’s good at all the sports but he opted to concentrate on that one, leaving Nakajima Yuto to basketball and Yaotome Hikaru have baseball (Yaotome had the captainship a year before him anyway.)
“Where is Yuu-kun anyway?” Kento wondered as he continued scanning each tables.
“Nationals,” came Kikuchi Fuma’s slightly muffled voice from the food line.
“Yeah, overnight at the host school later, so they don’t have to come in to class in the day,” Yamada answered automatically in his absent-mindedness; it was quite hard trying to find someone specifically when groups of girls try to walk past as slow as they could to flash Yamada a smile or a greeting hoping to get one back; or like today which was extra-buzzing with gossip about the StuCo’s first break, telling each other of rumors and gossip they heard - or imagined - about it; which is why he only noticed Kikuchi’s red cheek when Kento pointed at it.
“Oi, what happened there?”
When Kikuchi flushed a little but said nothing and Matsumura Hokuto didn’t save him this time as he was picking food for three trays, Yamada had to briefly turn to them raising his eyebrows.
“Oh, fine, Kai-chan hit us,” Kikuchi mumbled. “You know, fo-”
“- wouldn’t have guessed that’s your favorite,” Yamada distinctly heard Yann said a few people behind Kikuchi as she watched Chinen pull up two of the few slices of lemon meringue pies left to his tray, “they’re always the first to run out of here too.”
“There you are guys!” Yamada half-yelled at Yann, Chinen and Aya, who was already there and was probably blocking his view on purpose. He cut through the queue and because it’s Yamada and his crew it was alright with those in between. He also surreptitiously snatched one of the two the lemon pies Matsumura had on the trays he was filling and pulled his own. “Chinen’s eating with us,” he added for the benefit of the 2-C students except Kento who already knew. Neither found anything wrong with this, as Kikuchi was busy checking how his face looked on the food counter glass while Matsumura curtly introduced himself to the transferee.
When all of them had filled trays they headed to their table which they had been using throughout the two years they were at THS; it was the second nearest to the canteen entrance that most students enter from even though there were no surrounding walls leading to the courtyard in the middle of the campus’ three buildings. Yamada specifically chose this as it was the table with the best vantage point to see who comes in and out and for him to be seen; the seats around their table are usually occupied by his admirers. There are a couple of tables the few 3rd Years use at lunch there as well who are mostly girls - the sempais he’d already charmed.
Another reason to love lunchtime was because Mitsuhiko Diei and her crowd aren’t around; they eat outside the school premises at the surrounding cafes and restaurants across the street, and he could afford to loosen up and own his popularity. A few winks and smiles here, a brush up of his hand to his hair there.. Yamada wasn’t too bad - he’s approachable by any 2nd Years for some academic question or sports business to talk to him about; sometimes he accepts food prepared by his “fangirls” when they offer something really good; and occasionally, he takes the time to reply to passing greetings from 1st Years. He had also conceded to an interview for a newspaper article by another school right there once; that was fun. Now that he thought about it, if Diei was around that time he would have been more self-conscious and probably fidgeted; wouldn’t have made a cool impression… He heard from the same newspaper crew that they did the same interview for the THS Kaichou when she was in her first year (a bit off-putting really, because he was interviewed on his second). She also had a band then with her current friends and they were often requested to play in other schools’ cultural festivals practicing every lunchtime there but the school gave out information that they stopped doing so when they reached their second year to focus on their studies. Now the divider walls of the music room that once open for a stage right into the canteen from the left side building hadn’t been opened for the last two years and Yamada briefly thought of how he’d fit himself and his friends there; who’d play what where…
They were a big group and had to put together two tables with 2-B students Mabee and Okamoto bringing drinks for everyone; Tricia coming over from the gravy stand; Yamada keeping close to a hurrying Aya who obviously wanted to be farthest from him during his planned prank; Matsumura, Yann and Chinen, who was carrying Yann’s tray, still in introductory conversations; and Kikuchi bringing up the rear with two trays.
“So you’re the transferee eh?” Kikuchi piped into the conversation as he landed the other tray in front of Kochi Yugo who was obviously the assigned table-saver sitting at one end of the rectangular table while Yamada took the other end, pulling Aya to his immediate right while indicating Chinen took the left so Yann could sit on Chinen’s other side; the others filling in.
“Where’s my - oww!?” Kento had cut Kochi complaining of his missing pie by stomping on his toes making the later draw the others’ attention, which Kento and Yamada both covered up with loud outbursts of laughter.
“He’s a new face isn’t he? So obviously, he just transferred!” Kento answered Kikuchi unnecessarily, glaring at Kochi to shut up which Tricia, Kikuchi and Matsumura saw curiously.
“Chinen got a hundred percent on the entrance exam, like me,” Yamada revealed to divert the attention to himself. “Which is why I want to keep him close by for every opportunity for our friendly competitions,” he added with a clap to Chinen’s back just as he swallowed half his lemon pie and coughed it out.
Mabee and Okamoto chuckled while Aya tried to suppress it, her mouth curling at the corners as Yann patted Chinen on the back. Yamada took this time to briefly glance at Kento who had his head grouped close to his fellow 2-Cs, no doubt whispering to them about the prank.
“So, want to see who can finish eating cakes first?” Yamada added snidely, buying time.
While this successfully made Mabee, Okamoto, Yann, Chinen and even Aya (albeit shaking her head) laugh, Kento, Tricia, Kikuchi, Matsumura and Kochi finally pulled up their heads smirking. Now all Yamada had to do was figure out how to execute the prank smoothly -
“Ooooooooo!!”
“Look -”
“Whoah!”
A hush fell under the roof of the open-air canteen as everyone watched most of the 3rd Years from the Student Council coming in from the school building talking and laughing animatedly. Of course, everyone knew them as Diei’s crowd who came in after Jeyn and Do; followed by Nica, a gingerly walking Inoo who was avoiding putting his weight on his right knee and leaning a bit on a brightly blushing Kai; Takaki, Hara, Windy and Iel snickering last.
The table nearest the door had most of Yamada’s female admirers, who were also in Diei’s morning reception. When their sempais came close they took one look at each other and squealed, half of them rising up with Kikuchino Ericka seeming to be their voted spokesperson. “Diei-sama! Sempais! Err, we didn’t know you’d be eating here -”
“Nah,” Windy replied cheerfully, waving a hand to motion them to sit down. “We just came by to drop off Kai-chan and Nica-chan to lunch here!” making the two blush and Ericka’s group eye them enviously.
“Then we’re off for the dance practice -” Iel was continuing when Inoo exclaimed happily, “Yeah, thanks for bringing me new pants!”
Kai flushed from the roots of her hair down her collar while Nica giggled nervously. Do clap a hand to cover her face as Takaki and Hara roared in laughter and Jeyn pressed a few fingers to her lips to stop herself from bursting laughing as well. Windy had tears in her eyes. Even Diei chuckled.
“A-anou! Would Diei-sama - the sempais too, of course - w-would you like some?” Yamamono Rie hesitantly held out some of her obviously own homemade cookies. Her friends blinked; they all have some sweets themselves usually saved for Yamada but as they never saw their sempais there before at lunch they had never tried to offer them some. They also half-doubt the 3rd Years would take any.
“Hey, free food!” Takaki and Inoo said together as Do and Jeyn gave up stopping themselves from cracking up with Iel and Windy looking eagerly gathering around Ericka and her friends’ table, who made such a rush to open their sweets pack spreading them out.
Yamada looked up in time to see Diei leaned in to pick up one of the pink and frosted soft-dough cookies. “Mmm, umai,” she nodded approvingly to the delight of the fangirls.
“She never comes in here!” Aya whispered loudly across their table turning her head to Yamada as if to blame him for this, only to catch him in the act of sprinkling his lucky charm powder on top of his lemon meringue pie that it looked like it had cinnamon powder. “Don’t -!!”
“- don’t bother with it,” Kento continued, tapping across the table to make everyone’s heads turn to him, especially Chinen’s who almost looked Aya’s (and inadvertently Yamada’s) way, to draw attention away from Yamada finishing up preparing their prank. “That group of 3rd Years just doesn’t eat lunch here often, not in the last two years actually, but hey, I mean, you’d think pink elephants came into the room just now eh? Say, do you know Mitsuhiko Diei?”
Despite most of the other tables still watching the 3rd Years, probably mainly to Diei who sat right beside first year Rie, Yamada’s seem to be pulling their gazes back in, especially Tricia, Okamoto and Aya who had a feeling the seito-kaichou knew their transferee even without being among the clinic eavesdroppers. Yamada had to quickly flash Kento a thumbs-up knowing this was a fishing question, and though his mind denies it, he was also quite eager to hear more of Chinen’s connection to Diei.
Unfortunately, they only got a smile from Chinen as Yann said before he could answer for himself, “Oh yeah, we told him about her, right Aya-chan?”
“Yeaaahh..” though Aya thought it was a pity the question wasn’t answered, she still looked over Yamada mockingly. “Chinen-kun seems to be quick to catch up on eeeeverything.”
“Oh, no,” Chinen smiled modestly. “It’s just fascinating to know stuff about people in this school, my school now.”
“Say, you want more pie? Have mine.” Yamada nonchalantly passed the tampered pie towards Chinen. “I made you waste the second one, warui -”
“Ehh.. demo its yours…”
Yamada quickly used reverse-psychology as he said standing up to place the plate of pie in front of Chinen himself, “Ah, but this has cinnamon; I don’t really like it very much, help me finish this off?” which proved to be enough to get the other boy biting into his prank; literally.
As all those who knew of the prank avidly watched Chinen swallow a forkful of the pie Aya couldn’t stop herself half-heartedly saying, “oh, but Chinen’s so cute already he doesn’t need to get fat too…”
“Yeah, I just want to turn him into my cute, little, puppy pet!” Yamada cracked as a joke so Kento, Tricia, Kikuchi, Matsumura and Kochi have an obvious reason to laugh about other than the actual prank. He was just about to sit back down when he briefly felt Diei was looking over at him and caught her eye; did she just smiled his way?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Iyaa - usual japanese exclamation version for casual way of saying "Ie" meaning no
-kun - suffix used by speaker for younger male names or males close with
-chan - suffix used by speaker for younger female names or females close with
fangirls - collection of admiring girls
kaichou - president ; will be used to mean the president of the student council here
-sama - suffix for both sexes ; used for admired/respected people
Sempai - Senior ; title for a respected upperclassman or upperclasswoman
Anou - usual japanese exclamation version of ‘Uhm’
umai - very tasty / sweet ; used as ‘that’s good (referring to food)’ here
warui - no good / my bad ; used as very informal way to say sorry here
Demo - But
Previously...
Though Hideki Aya did her best to minimize the rumors getting worse among the 2nd Years and the 3rd Years got to know Mitsuhiko Diei’s real relationship with Chinen Yuri, there was no stopping the gossip - and Yamada Ryosuke!
++++++
The moment the lunchtime bell rang Yamada was out of the Conference Room so fast he missed the moment Diei glanced his way. He dashed to his classroom catching Hideki Aya, Hitomori Yann and Chinen Yuri just about to get up.
“Hey,” Yann and Chinen said at same time.
“Are you alright?” Aya asked suspiciously of his out-of-breathlessness.
“We’ll eat lunch by the canteen,” Yamada breathed out heavily, trying not to show his exhilaration.
“Oh, iyaa, I don’t want to intrude..” Chinen hesitated.
“Yeah, come eat with us,” Yann invited him brightly.
“Unless you have other plans?” Yamada raised his eyebrows. He’d never been refused.
“Eh? No, none but..” Chinen’s eyes shifted from Yann to Yamada, unsure if he was really going to eat with the guy, but decided Yann’s probably worth it as he looked back at her. He couldn’t help but unconsciously flash a smile her way. “Ah, alright!”
Yann could feel a thrill at that bright smile, she almost had a feeling it was for her, but nah, she didn’t wanna hope that much. She and Chinen almost bumped into each other as they tried to get through the door at the same time, but the boy proved a gentleman as he waved his hand with a flourish for her to go through first, which sent both of them chuckling quietly.
Yamada, who was taking note of whether the room had less people now, missed this brief exchange. “I just need to get something, some papers, see ya there!” he said hurrying to his seat.
As he grabbed for his bag, he realized Aya followed him but he didn’t mind her knowing of his plan.
“Whaa -?” was all Aya could say before Yamada overturned his bag on his desk and the noise and clatter from all his things spilling out drowned her words. He didn’t reply or tell her anything though, until he found what he was looking for: a small glass bottle of something like dust inside. It was corked shut tight, as if it was never opened before, with a gold thread and a tag made of brown paper with cursive writing on it.
Aya gasped. “You still have that?”
“Never leave without it,” Yamada pulled the cork off sniffing at it, a manic glint in his eyes. “Yes, not too smelly; perfect.”
He was almost at the door when Aya yanked his arm hissing, “You are not doing what I think you’re going to do!”
"What? It’ll just be a small prank, calm down.”
“What’s a small prank?”
Both turned around sharply and saw Nakajima Kento leaning by the door. Yamada grinned and clapped Kento on the shoulder indicating he come with them out of the room. He raised the small bottle up for Kento to see, while Aya shook her head behind them. “This, my friend, is my lucky charm. Got it a few years back. Probably just some laxative powder, and I know someone perfect to prank it with.”
“You’re out of your mind, what if that’s poisonous?” Aya glared bullets behind their heads as Kento burst out in laughter.
“Perfect! I love pranks! Where’s the git?” Kento was already looking around for Chinen.
“You don’t know him so don’t call him a git, he also have a higher I.Q. than you,” Aya reminded him.
“Ahh, but I bet he’s as gullible as he looks,” Kento countered, ducking under Yamada’s arm to clap both his hands on his shoulders. “Plus, we’ve got more cunning!”
Yamada looked back at Aya as they rounded the last stairs to the ground floor, catching her hissing like an angry cat. “Relaaax, c’mon just this once? Pleeaaase~?”
Yamada was using that puppy-eye pleading thing and though Aya was never one of the girls who get charmed by him, she knew that the prick would probably devise something worse if he wasn’t allowed this as his revenge.
“Urrghh!” she threw her hands up making that giving-up exasperated noise and hurried to the canteen before the two. He wanna go through with this she’s washing her hands clean.
Yamada loves lunchtime. If the mornings are for the sempais, the noon was for the campus crushes and idols which is mainly, him. The few select people he sits with at the same table were not all from his class, but aren’t too shabby in the popular department as well, who are also mostly members of the Soccer Team he is captain of. He’s good at all the sports but he opted to concentrate on that one, leaving Nakajima Yuto to basketball and Yaotome Hikaru have baseball (Yaotome had the captainship a year before him anyway.)
“Where is Yuu-kun anyway?” Kento wondered as he continued scanning each tables.
“Nationals,” came Kikuchi Fuma’s slightly muffled voice from the food line.
“Yeah, overnight at the host school later, so they don’t have to come in to class in the day,” Yamada answered automatically in his absent-mindedness; it was quite hard trying to find someone specifically when groups of girls try to walk past as slow as they could to flash Yamada a smile or a greeting hoping to get one back; or like today which was extra-buzzing with gossip about the StuCo’s first break, telling each other of rumors and gossip they heard - or imagined - about it; which is why he only noticed Kikuchi’s red cheek when Kento pointed at it.
“Oi, what happened there?”
When Kikuchi flushed a little but said nothing and Matsumura Hokuto didn’t save him this time as he was picking food for three trays, Yamada had to briefly turn to them raising his eyebrows.
“Oh, fine, Kai-chan hit us,” Kikuchi mumbled. “You know, fo-”
“- wouldn’t have guessed that’s your favorite,” Yamada distinctly heard Yann said a few people behind Kikuchi as she watched Chinen pull up two of the few slices of lemon meringue pies left to his tray, “they’re always the first to run out of here too.”
“There you are guys!” Yamada half-yelled at Yann, Chinen and Aya, who was already there and was probably blocking his view on purpose. He cut through the queue and because it’s Yamada and his crew it was alright with those in between. He also surreptitiously snatched one of the two the lemon pies Matsumura had on the trays he was filling and pulled his own. “Chinen’s eating with us,” he added for the benefit of the 2-C students except Kento who already knew. Neither found anything wrong with this, as Kikuchi was busy checking how his face looked on the food counter glass while Matsumura curtly introduced himself to the transferee.
When all of them had filled trays they headed to their table which they had been using throughout the two years they were at THS; it was the second nearest to the canteen entrance that most students enter from even though there were no surrounding walls leading to the courtyard in the middle of the campus’ three buildings. Yamada specifically chose this as it was the table with the best vantage point to see who comes in and out and for him to be seen; the seats around their table are usually occupied by his admirers. There are a couple of tables the few 3rd Years use at lunch there as well who are mostly girls - the sempais he’d already charmed.
Another reason to love lunchtime was because Mitsuhiko Diei and her crowd aren’t around; they eat outside the school premises at the surrounding cafes and restaurants across the street, and he could afford to loosen up and own his popularity. A few winks and smiles here, a brush up of his hand to his hair there.. Yamada wasn’t too bad - he’s approachable by any 2nd Years for some academic question or sports business to talk to him about; sometimes he accepts food prepared by his “fangirls” when they offer something really good; and occasionally, he takes the time to reply to passing greetings from 1st Years. He had also conceded to an interview for a newspaper article by another school right there once; that was fun. Now that he thought about it, if Diei was around that time he would have been more self-conscious and probably fidgeted; wouldn’t have made a cool impression… He heard from the same newspaper crew that they did the same interview for the THS Kaichou when she was in her first year (a bit off-putting really, because he was interviewed on his second). She also had a band then with her current friends and they were often requested to play in other schools’ cultural festivals practicing every lunchtime there but the school gave out information that they stopped doing so when they reached their second year to focus on their studies. Now the divider walls of the music room that once open for a stage right into the canteen from the left side building hadn’t been opened for the last two years and Yamada briefly thought of how he’d fit himself and his friends there; who’d play what where…
They were a big group and had to put together two tables with 2-B students Mabee and Okamoto bringing drinks for everyone; Tricia coming over from the gravy stand; Yamada keeping close to a hurrying Aya who obviously wanted to be farthest from him during his planned prank; Matsumura, Yann and Chinen, who was carrying Yann’s tray, still in introductory conversations; and Kikuchi bringing up the rear with two trays.
“So you’re the transferee eh?” Kikuchi piped into the conversation as he landed the other tray in front of Kochi Yugo who was obviously the assigned table-saver sitting at one end of the rectangular table while Yamada took the other end, pulling Aya to his immediate right while indicating Chinen took the left so Yann could sit on Chinen’s other side; the others filling in.
“Where’s my - oww!?” Kento had cut Kochi complaining of his missing pie by stomping on his toes making the later draw the others’ attention, which Kento and Yamada both covered up with loud outbursts of laughter.
“He’s a new face isn’t he? So obviously, he just transferred!” Kento answered Kikuchi unnecessarily, glaring at Kochi to shut up which Tricia, Kikuchi and Matsumura saw curiously.
“Chinen got a hundred percent on the entrance exam, like me,” Yamada revealed to divert the attention to himself. “Which is why I want to keep him close by for every opportunity for our friendly competitions,” he added with a clap to Chinen’s back just as he swallowed half his lemon pie and coughed it out.
Mabee and Okamoto chuckled while Aya tried to suppress it, her mouth curling at the corners as Yann patted Chinen on the back. Yamada took this time to briefly glance at Kento who had his head grouped close to his fellow 2-Cs, no doubt whispering to them about the prank.
“So, want to see who can finish eating cakes first?” Yamada added snidely, buying time.
While this successfully made Mabee, Okamoto, Yann, Chinen and even Aya (albeit shaking her head) laugh, Kento, Tricia, Kikuchi, Matsumura and Kochi finally pulled up their heads smirking. Now all Yamada had to do was figure out how to execute the prank smoothly -
“Ooooooooo!!”
“Look -”
“Whoah!”
A hush fell under the roof of the open-air canteen as everyone watched most of the 3rd Years from the Student Council coming in from the school building talking and laughing animatedly. Of course, everyone knew them as Diei’s crowd who came in after Jeyn and Do; followed by Nica, a gingerly walking Inoo who was avoiding putting his weight on his right knee and leaning a bit on a brightly blushing Kai; Takaki, Hara, Windy and Iel snickering last.
The table nearest the door had most of Yamada’s female admirers, who were also in Diei’s morning reception. When their sempais came close they took one look at each other and squealed, half of them rising up with Kikuchino Ericka seeming to be their voted spokesperson. “Diei-sama! Sempais! Err, we didn’t know you’d be eating here -”
“Nah,” Windy replied cheerfully, waving a hand to motion them to sit down. “We just came by to drop off Kai-chan and Nica-chan to lunch here!” making the two blush and Ericka’s group eye them enviously.
“Then we’re off for the dance practice -” Iel was continuing when Inoo exclaimed happily, “Yeah, thanks for bringing me new pants!”
Kai flushed from the roots of her hair down her collar while Nica giggled nervously. Do clap a hand to cover her face as Takaki and Hara roared in laughter and Jeyn pressed a few fingers to her lips to stop herself from bursting laughing as well. Windy had tears in her eyes. Even Diei chuckled.
“A-anou! Would Diei-sama - the sempais too, of course - w-would you like some?” Yamamono Rie hesitantly held out some of her obviously own homemade cookies. Her friends blinked; they all have some sweets themselves usually saved for Yamada but as they never saw their sempais there before at lunch they had never tried to offer them some. They also half-doubt the 3rd Years would take any.
“Hey, free food!” Takaki and Inoo said together as Do and Jeyn gave up stopping themselves from cracking up with Iel and Windy looking eagerly gathering around Ericka and her friends’ table, who made such a rush to open their sweets pack spreading them out.
Yamada looked up in time to see Diei leaned in to pick up one of the pink and frosted soft-dough cookies. “Mmm, umai,” she nodded approvingly to the delight of the fangirls.
“She never comes in here!” Aya whispered loudly across their table turning her head to Yamada as if to blame him for this, only to catch him in the act of sprinkling his lucky charm powder on top of his lemon meringue pie that it looked like it had cinnamon powder. “Don’t -!!”
“- don’t bother with it,” Kento continued, tapping across the table to make everyone’s heads turn to him, especially Chinen’s who almost looked Aya’s (and inadvertently Yamada’s) way, to draw attention away from Yamada finishing up preparing their prank. “That group of 3rd Years just doesn’t eat lunch here often, not in the last two years actually, but hey, I mean, you’d think pink elephants came into the room just now eh? Say, do you know Mitsuhiko Diei?”
Despite most of the other tables still watching the 3rd Years, probably mainly to Diei who sat right beside first year Rie, Yamada’s seem to be pulling their gazes back in, especially Tricia, Okamoto and Aya who had a feeling the seito-kaichou knew their transferee even without being among the clinic eavesdroppers. Yamada had to quickly flash Kento a thumbs-up knowing this was a fishing question, and though his mind denies it, he was also quite eager to hear more of Chinen’s connection to Diei.
Unfortunately, they only got a smile from Chinen as Yann said before he could answer for himself, “Oh yeah, we told him about her, right Aya-chan?”
“Yeaaahh..” though Aya thought it was a pity the question wasn’t answered, she still looked over Yamada mockingly. “Chinen-kun seems to be quick to catch up on eeeeverything.”
“Oh, no,” Chinen smiled modestly. “It’s just fascinating to know stuff about people in this school, my school now.”
“Say, you want more pie? Have mine.” Yamada nonchalantly passed the tampered pie towards Chinen. “I made you waste the second one, warui -”
“Ehh.. demo its yours…”
Yamada quickly used reverse-psychology as he said standing up to place the plate of pie in front of Chinen himself, “Ah, but this has cinnamon; I don’t really like it very much, help me finish this off?” which proved to be enough to get the other boy biting into his prank; literally.
As all those who knew of the prank avidly watched Chinen swallow a forkful of the pie Aya couldn’t stop herself half-heartedly saying, “oh, but Chinen’s so cute already he doesn’t need to get fat too…”
“Yeah, I just want to turn him into my cute, little, puppy pet!” Yamada cracked as a joke so Kento, Tricia, Kikuchi, Matsumura and Kochi have an obvious reason to laugh about other than the actual prank. He was just about to sit back down when he briefly felt Diei was looking over at him and caught her eye; did she just smiled his way?
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Iyaa - usual japanese exclamation version for casual way of saying "Ie" meaning no
-kun - suffix used by speaker for younger male names or males close with
-chan - suffix used by speaker for younger female names or females close with
fangirls - collection of admiring girls
kaichou - president ; will be used to mean the president of the student council here
-sama - suffix for both sexes ; used for admired/respected people
Sempai - Senior ; title for a respected upperclassman or upperclasswoman
Anou - usual japanese exclamation version of ‘Uhm’
umai - very tasty / sweet ; used as ‘that’s good (referring to food)’ here
warui - no good / my bad ; used as very informal way to say sorry here
Demo - But