Log: Yuuta, Mizuki (1 of 2)
Who: Fuji Yuuta and Mizuki Hajime
When: Last Tuesday (12/16)
Where: Various shopping places in Tokyo and a couple of buses
Summary: Yuuta finally joins Mizuki-san on his shopping trip... only things kind of go wrong for both of them. o.O
Warning/Rating: PG for a couple of naughty words, I think.
Player Comments: This is the most awkward log I'v ever done. Yuuta was a mess. But it's also cute and fluffy and I adore it. <3
Comments/Crits Allowed: Yep yep yep! ^^
People. There were people everywhere. (Though this was the station, he should've expected that much.) Perhaps it was a bad idea to set up a shopping trip this close to the holidays, but Mizuki wasn't about to call it off this late. He'd deal with it...After all, it wasn't as if he would be alone~
Of all the students he'd come in contact with at St. Rudolph, he had to say Yuuta was one of his favorites--right up there with Akazawa (who, unfortunately, couldn't make it. Otherwise he'd be standing right next to the manager). If anything, being in good company again would be enough to make the crowds seem more pleasant.
Idly checking his watch, Mizuki shifted from foot to foot lightly, trying to keep a little warmer in the December air as he waited. Well, Yuuta wasn't technically late, so he wouldn't scold the boy yet...if he showed up soon.
Yuuta huffed along, willing the people around him to move a little faster. If he didn't reach the station soon he'd be late! Then he'd get fussed at and made to carry all of Mizuki-san's bags as punishment. He really hadn't meant to start out late, but he'd wanted to check on Kaidoh-kun before he left, and the two of them had gotten to talking and before he knew it, he'd had to run the entire way there. And while Mizuki-san's training kept him in good enough shape to do that, the cold air burning his lungs made it much harder.
Finally, though, he spotted a familiar head of curled hair standing in front of the station, and waved. "Mizuki-san!" he called. "I'm here!" he jogged up to his former manager and stopped, huffing and puffing little white clouds in the chilled air. "Sorry if I'm late, I let the time slip by without noticing."
"Hmm~" Mizuki glanced again at his watch, looking much like a teacher checking the clock to decide whether or not his student was late for class. "You had a minute and a half to spare, so I suppose I'll let you off without a warning." Of course, that didn't mean Yuuta would get out of carrying at least a few bags~
His hand returned to the slightly warmer coat pockets as he looked the younger boy over. "You've grown a little," he noted, nodding as if it was something he approved of, "Are you doing well?"
Yuuta laughed shyly, one hand going behind his head and a slight blush dusting his cheeks. Well, at least the other boy didn't seem to mad at him, which was always good. "I hit a growth spurt a few months or so ago and my legs stretched out some, that's all. But I'm good, especially now that the nuns can't pile on homework. And I'm looking forward to moving up to the high school division with everyone else, though I'll miss talking to Kaidoh-kun every day." He stopped himself, his blush darkening as he realized he was rambling.
"Um. So! Uh, how have you been? It's been a while since we talked in person. You..." Mizuki-san hadn't grown at all. Not one millimeter, that Yuuta could tell. He looked the same as he always did. "You've... grown too, haven't you?" Oh well, it wouldn't hurt anything to fudge the truth a little, right?
Mizuki blinked, looking himself over and then returning his gaze to Yuuta, a brow raised in question. "166 cm. Same as last year, and the year before." At this rate, Mizuki was beginning to lose hope of ever gaining another centimeter. However, the thought was nice, and perhaps he did look a little taller? A slight smirk tugged at his lips as he felt his ego grow just a tad at the idea of looking taller than he was. Perhaps it was true~
...Besides, even if he weren’t, he'd always have the upper hand in the age department. He would always be the senpai and Yuuta would always be the kohai. "I'm doing well though~ Nothing too notable has happened since we last spoke though, I'm afraid..." A small sigh marked the end of that statement. Apparently, the life of a high school student was just as dull (if not more) than that of a junior high student. Sad, really.
"A-ah!" Yuuta's face turned a little bit darker against his will and adjusted his scarf, hoping it would go unremarked. Caught in his untruth! Time for a distraction. "Um, well, you look... nice, anyway! That's a... very nice... uh, shirt." Very loud and very busily patterned, but it was something Mizuki-san would like so he was determined to compliment it and make the other boy happy. He nodded at his sempai's update, completely understanding what he meant. "School is school, ne? It's all nuns and homework and tennis."
He stopped then, and gestured at the sidewalk. "Um, why don't we get going to the stores, since I'm sure you want to do as much shopping as we can? You can tell me about how everyone else is on the way. I haven't seen any of them either since you all graduated." He smiled at that, eager to hear how his former buchou and other teammates were doing.
"Nfu~ Thank you~" Mizuki's smirk grew a fraction. He'd have to give Yuuta a bonus point for a clever recovery. He took the other boy's lead and set out into the crowds, making sure that Yuuta was following him first. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke, "Hmm, Atsushi-kun and Shinya-kun are doing well. Though, I'm not quite sure if Shinya-kun's grades are as high as he'd like to believe they were, and Atsushi-kun seemed to be missing his twin more than usual the last time I saw him. Nomura-kun... Well, the only thing new with him is that he's gotten over his crush on our English teacher from last year. Finally."
Mizuki paused briefly, considering something in a store window before continuing on, apparently deeming it not worth his time. "Akazawa... is the same as always, I suppose. Hot-tempered, hard-headed, but soft-hearted." He shrugged, "Nothing much has changed."
Yuuta smiled a little, not put off by Mizuki-san's apparently dismissive words. He knew the manager cared about the team; he just had a difficult time showing it. He followed obediently behind the other boy, wondering what the others had gotten up to while he'd been in the middle school still. He'd picked up a love for American metal and industrial music and a penchant for guitar playing. How had everyone else changed? How had Mizuki-san changed? He suddenly wanted to know. He felt like he was seeing his manager with a new set of eyes, after being apart for a while. He wasn't sure why it was, or why it made his heart beat fast like he was running again, but... it wasn't awful.
"S-so, uh, can I ask what you're looking for? Are you Christmas shopping, or just looking for something interesting?" The easiest thing to do was to get him to talk. Once he started opening up, maybe Yuuta could figure out what was going on, and what this feeling was.
Mizuki looked thoughtful for a moment, eyes scanning the windows as they passed them. "Yes, a bit of last minute shopping...for others and myself." Though the shopping for himself wasn't so much for Christmas as it was just general clothes shopping he'd put off in favor of focusing on school. In his opinion, he was desperately in need of some new winter clothing, and fashion was something he believed could only be picked out by the individual wearing it. He'd never let his family decide that for him--it was far too important!
"Is there anything you need to get while we're out?" He asked, as an added thought. If Yuuta was going to accompany him, he might as well try to get a little more out of it.
"Oh, okay," Yuuta forced his eyes not to glaze over in boredom. Fashion was something he'd never been too interested in, but he did like dressing in a distinctive style. He looked down at his worn boots, faded jeans, and imported A Perfect Circle t-shirt. Well, okay, maybe he was a little bit of a fashion person, since he'd gotten into the metal look, so it wasn't all that bad, right? But Mizuki offering to buy him clothes, especially in this upper-income shopping area? He couldn't do that!
"No, no, I'm fine!" he said quickly, smiling reassuringly to show his sincerity. He'd be okay with his clothes. He didn’t feel the need to constantly add to his collection, since it made packing for home that much harder. "Um, anything in particular you wanted, like a jacket or something?" Maybe, if he could get a job at the local library, he could save up and-- wait, why was he thinking about giving Mizuki-san a present? Christmas presents were for families and couples.
"Hmm... If you say so," Mizuki replied, seemingly forgetting the offer he'd extended to the younger boy. The offer Yuuta was presenting now though was tempting. He looked over his former teammate with a questioning glance, weighing the options in his head.
"...Can you pay for it?" He asked warily, thought politely. He didn't know if Yuuta had a job, but from what he'd gathered in the past, the boy rarely had the kind of money needed to buy the particular jacket Mizuki had in mind. Hell, he himself barely had the money for it! He could only afford this shopping spree because he'd saved up his allowance for the last month or two.
Yuuta cringed, knowing that whatever Mizuki-san was talking about, it was probably expensive. He had a grand total of about 5000 yen in his pocket, the sum total of his allowance for the month, but he knew what Mizuki-san wanted could easily cost ten times as much. "Ah, no, I don't think so," he said, his shoulders slumping. He didn't even know why it made him sad that he couldn't, and by the time he could winter would be long gone, and Mizuki-san wouldn't even want it anymore. Even if he got a job, he'd really have to save to afford it, and... No good. It just wouldn't work.
"Ah, sorry. Forget I said anything, okay?” He looked away, watching the people walk by in their tailored suits and expensive dresses and wishing Mizuki-san would keep just ignore the conversation as though it hadn't happened. It was always easier to be near him when Yuuta was walking behind him.
Was that...disappointment? Genuine disappointment? Mizuki blinked, watching Yuuta from the corner of his eyes as he slowed the pace a bit to walk beside the other boy. Mizuki almost wondered if he should feel guilty for making Yuuta feel bad about something like that, but he quickly talked himself out of it. Yuuta had been the one to offer, after all!
But still... The kid had good intentions, he always did. "Hmm..." Mizuki fell back into his previous pace, stepping a little ahead of the younger boy. "There is another jacket I've been eyeing recently...It's about 4500 yen, but I haven't ever had the time to go back for it, with classes and holidays..." Honestly, there was another jacket--lighter weight, more suitable for fall, but Mizuki had taken a liking to it nonetheless. He still had no idea of how much money Yuuta had, but it was Mizuki's roundabout way of saying that he wasn't disappointed that Yuuta apparently couldn't afford the other one.
Yuuta could feel himself perking up at that. "Really?! I mean-- oh, really? Um, whe-where would that one be?" He tried to be nonchalant about it, though he wasn't sure how well he'd pulled it off. It didn't help that he almost tripped right afterwards on a crack in the sidewalk because he'd been paying more attention to his manager than his feet. He didn't fall, at least, which was a small blessing. But his face was bright red as he corrected himself and then proceeded, cat-like, to pretend it hadn't happened.
"Um, just out of curiousity, what size do you wear?" He cringed as soon as it was out his mouth, though, appalled. Smooth. Could he have been more obvious about his intentions? Guh, Mizuki-san was probably going to laugh at him now.
Mizuki couldn't help but smile to himself. Yuuta had always been rather easy to read. No, scratch that, extremely easy to read. It wasn't a bad thing, seeing as how that sort of honesty was something Mizuki found charming, it was just...well, funny. And cute--but Mizuki was far from willing to ever admit that to anyone. Ever. Even himself.
Rather than laugh outright, Mizuki managed to keep it to a soft chuckle and decided to humor the other. "Nfu~ I believe I saw it at that little boutique near the high school... If I remember correctly, they only had a few smalls left..." Though he was sure at least one would still be there. It wasn't as if many people shared his taste in fashion, after all. (He found that to be a pity, but it made him original~)
Yuuta might have gone into a terminal blush if he'd known Mizuki-san'd even thought of him as cute. However, he was completely oblivious about his own thoughts and feelings, never mind his former manager's, so he was safe for now. All he knew was that Mizuki-san looked different than he had before, though Yuuta couldn't explain just how, or why it made his heart beat fast when Mizuki-san smiled, or why he was willing to blow an entire month's allowance on one jacket for his manager at Christmas without a second thought.
And even as he was calling himself crazy for it, he memorized the location of the place the coat was at so he could go there one day soon and buy it for the other boy. He was even plotting to figure out which one it was, since there was likely more than one in the store, and Yuuta wasn't about to look like an even bigger dork in front of his sempai by asking for details. Maybe one of the salespeople had seen Mizuki-san looking at it, and could point it out...?
Mizuki smiled to himself again (though it was more a smirk), quite happy with things now. He didn't have to feel guilty, Yuuta would feel accomplished, and he'd get that jacket he'd been wanting. What could be better? Oh, wait. Just to make sure Yuuta got the right one...
He sighed wistfully, cradling his chin with forefinger and thumb as he walked. "It was my favorite color too...Pure white, with such a nice purple color lining...and embroidery...hmm...” Another sigh, trying to make it apparent how much he'd admired it--for Yuuta's sake. It was true he'd grown fond of it, but there was no harm in making the other boy think he would be buying something that Mizuki was just DYING to have.
"Oh, really," Yuuta said airily, trying to pretend he was more interested in people's shoes than in the conversation. (Really, he was just watching the sidewalk so he didn't trip again.) But inside he was memorizing the details. White, purple lining, embroidery... got it. He'd go look tomorrow. And wow, it sounded like Mizuki-san really wanted it, too. Maybe he'd be doing a really good thing by getting him the jacket? Hey, yeah, and Mizuki-san would be really happy and maybe hug him for it!
Yuuta felt his eyes widen as he tripped again, this time over his own flat feet, sending him to the sidewalk. What in the world?! Why was he thinking about hugs and blushing fit to catch on fire and why was his heart beating so fast?! He quickly stood up and dusted himself off, hoping Mizuki-san hadn't seen or heard him fall. God, he was just a ball of embarrassment today, wasn't he? Distraction. They needed a distraction somewhere, quick.
Eh? Mizuki was certain he'd heard the sound of shoes scraping pavement and a rather painful fall; but when he turned to look at Yuuta, the boy was standing. Raising a brow, he made sure to take notice of the redness on the other's cheeks and the way he carried himself. Yeah, that was more than enough data to tell him that he had, indeed, heard someone fall--and that someone was frantically trying to play it off as if it had never happened.
Hm, well, he supposed there was no point in humiliating him further. Yuuta seemed to be embarrassed enough about it, judging from the color on his face. "Something wrong?" He opted to fake innocence.
Yuuta choked at the question, but tried to recover enough to play dumb. "Hm? No, everything's fine. Just fine, nothing wrong... Oh, what's that?" He pointed to a random window and walked up to it, inspecting the jewelry inside as though he cared what it was. He had to wonder, though, if some of the stuff in this window was fake. Diamonds didn't really come that big, did they? If so, they wouldn't be behind a window facing a street, where anyone could break in and steal them. So these must be fake, but the 750,000-yen price tag said otherwise. He glanced at Mizuki-san, curious.
"Who'd ever wear something like that?" he asked, stumped. "It'd get in the way when you're doing things like writing, or playing tennis, or whatever. It's just... rocks."
Mizuki smirked, shaking his head as he came over, taking a look at what Yuuta was questioning. "Just rocks?" he asked, looking more amused than surprised at the boy's apathy toward precious jewels. "It takes a lot to make those 'rocks' naturally, you know...." Idly, he glanced over the window display, twirling a strand of hair. "They're beautiful though," he mumbled to himself before speaking to Yuuta again, a hint of amusement in his voice, "Though I don't know anyone who plays tennis with any jewelry on, regardless of size~ Nfufu."
"Though, something that big is only attractive in a case. It would look ridiculous on a person..." This seemed to be working well. At least, a little of the color had receded from Yuuta's cheeks, even if they were still quite pink. Mizuki couldn't help but smile at that. He didn't know why he found it amusing, but it was.
Yuuta nodded, eyes still on the case. "I mean, I know they're rare and all, but that doesn't seem to me like reason enough to want them. They're just not... I dunno, useful? If they did something cool, I could see it, but just decoration seems like a waste of money to me. And you're right, on a person that would just look silly. Like they were trying too hard to look a certain way. I could even picture them!" He laughed at the mental image. "One of those old, plump ladies with way too much makeup and a million gold necklaces and a little toy poodle that growls at everything!"
With that, he felt as though his embarrassment had faded enough to allow him to face the other fully. "Ah, but I'm getting us off-track. I'm sorry. We came to look for things for you. Um, did you have any shops in mind, or you just wanted to window-shop for a while?"
Mizuki couldn't help but laugh at the imaged placed in his head now, his hand going from his hair to his mouth, covering it slightly as he did so. "Y-You're right... Nfufu... Now I can't stop thinking about that. Thanks." It was said with a smile and shaking of his head.
Yuuta seemed more comfortable now, so Mizuki was able to dismiss the previous event entirely. After all, there was no other excuse he could come up with as to why his underclassman had blushed so horribly, other than the fall of course. "Well, I need to buy gifts for a few last people too. Though I'm not quite sure what to get." Hence the reason they were last.
Yuuta chuckled at Mizuki's amusement, glad that he could make his... teammate? friend?... laugh. Still, they were here for a reason, so he needed to not distract quite so much. "Well, maybe if you take them one at a time, and try narrowing down possibilities? It might be easier to figure out what to get by eliminating what not to get."
He looked around and the shops lining both sides of the street. There were so many, all of them seemingly different and yet the same, and felt a little lost. He wasn't really good at getting presents, though he knew how to pick up hints from family members on things they'd like. That was why he'd gotten his brother a scarf and mittens instead of something tennis-related, and he'd gotten his sister and mother each things they'd spoken of before.
Well, then I know not to get those 'rocks'," Mizuki commented, voice still tinged with amusement. "Hmm~" He followed Yuuta's line of sight, looking down the sidewalk at the stores on either side of the street. "Perhaps it would be easier if I just asked them what they wanted..." He sigh a bit, "It takes the surprise out of it, but if they don't mind, I suppose it's fine..." He glanced at Yuuta expectantly, assuming the boy would take the hint.
Yuuta blinked at Mizuki, completely missing any signals. "Well, okay then. At least it means you won't get them something they don't like. So, I guess we just get the things you wanted to get out here, and come back later to buy the other stuff?" which would mean another trip with Mizuki-san, and possibly more tripping over the sidewalk and more blushing and more embarrassment, but for some reason... it didn't seem so bad. He looked at his hands, wondering what it all meant.
Ok...That hadn't worked. Darn, and Mizuki didn't think he was being all that subtle either. Well, if the only way to clearly get his point across was to bluntly state it, then he didn't have much choice. Suppressing the urge to sigh in frustration, Mizuki recollected his patience and twirled a strand of hair, lips smirking again to regain his attitude.
"Nfu~ Or I could just ask you. What do you want for Christmas, Yuuta-kun?"
Yuuta watched Mizuki-san collect himself, and almost cringed inside. Well, whatever he'd been trying to say, Yuuta hadn't gotten it, and now his sempai was frustrated with him. But then it came out, and he could feel his jaw hit the ground. He... couldn't think. His mind was a complete blank because Christmas was for family and couples and Mizuki-san wasn't family! He could feel his face lighting up again, bright red and almost painfully hot, as he tried to process the question.
"Uh, I... want? Um, I mean-- uh... I-I-I don't know. I mean, um... what?" He knew he sounded stupid, he knew he did. But with one question, his entire world suddenly seemed off-kilter and he couldn't understand why he wasn't upset by the shift that had so totally thrown him for a loop.
Mizuki blinked, torn between feeling surprised or concerned at this reaction. His hand that was curling a strand of hair had stopped for a moment, and they both sort of just...stood there, the nervousness on Yuuta's part making it a little awkward. The older of the two quickly tried to save the mood though, his finger resuming is twirling and his calm attitude trying to smooth over the other's flustering.
"Yes, Yuuta-kun, what do you want for Christmas? Something tennis related? Or perhaps music...?" He offered suggestions, looking at the other expectantly, hoping they would get Yuuta back on track.
Yuuta pulled his jacket closed nervously, adjusting his scarf and hoping like anything that his face wouldn't burst into flames. Great, now he looked stupid on top of clumsy and weird. But why? Why get him anything? He wasn't... he wasn't the type of guy that other guys bought things for... was he? Though there had been the rumors and all at school, and the passes that some guys had made at him... but this was Mizuki-san. Mizuki-san was nice, no matter what his brother might say. This was just him being nice, since the team had been something like a family themselves.
He didn't know why that thought left him feeling vaguely hollow, but he pushed it and his initial embarrassment aside enough to answer. "Well, you don't--" No, of course he didn't, but he was, so there should be a better way to say it. "Well, if you wanted to buy me a set of strings for my guitar, I could use them. It's time I replaced the ones I'm using now." There, that was good, but neutral.
Mizuki nodded, taking the suggestion in mental notes and filing it away. "Anything else?" he asked, smirking in apparent amusement at the way the younger boy was reacting. Was he that surprised that Mizuki would do something for him? Maybe he just hadn't expected the manager to buy anything for anyone? Well, he'd bought a few of the other teammates gifts this year, but it was true that Yuuta was the only one he'd be unsure of what to buy for... and the only one he extended more than one gift-offer to.
Perhaps that meant he really did favor Yuuta, even though he claimed to have no favorites among friends/teammates. Oh well, it didn't bother him too much, even when he thought about it.
Yuuta blinked, trying not to blush again. (Which, as it turns out, he still had no control over.) Not one, but two gifts? Well, it was true that the strings wouldn't cost too much, maybe he figured he had to spend more because Yuuta was getting him the coat? Except he wasn't supposed to know that Yuuta was getting him the coat, but... okay, now he was getting confused. He pushed that aside too, and focused on the question he'd been asked.
"Um, I guess if you wanted to get me something else, um, I could use more grip tape?" Something else nice and neutral. And it wasn't the first thing that popped into his head which was a BAD BAD idea and he would never think of it again.
"Grip tape?" Mizuki asked, shaking his head and waving it off dismissively, "Grip tape is nothing. Is there anything else you'd like in that case? If you won't let me get you anything big, then I'll have to do with a lot of small things." He seemed rather stubborn in this matter (not that he wasn't stubborn in almost every matter).
Of course, it may have looked a little strange, but he (again) didn't feel too bothered by it. He'd come to terms with Yuuta being his 'star project' and well...maybe, one of his closest friends. Kinda, sorta. Now THAT was something he didn't like to think on often because he knew he'd done little to really earn that sort of relationship, even if he'd long since been forgiven for...certain things.
Yuuta almost chuckled at that. Yes, that was just like Mizuki-san. The generosity might surprise people (like it was him), but that stubbornness really wouldn't. He seemed dead-set on not only buying Yuuta something for Christmas, but also making it something of decent value. He shook his head, more amused than embarrassed now, and let go of the why's and how come's. It didn't matter. In the end, Mizuki-san was his friend and wanted to be nice to him for Christmas.
Well, if you want to buy me something a little more expensive, there are a few t-shirts I've been wanting in a store I know. They're imported, so they're more expensive than normal, but they're from some of my favorite bands. Or just some accessories, depending on how much you wanted to spend." He looked at his friend, a small smile on his face. "Is that okay?"
Finally! Mizuki smiled (more like smirked), an air of triumph about him now. "You'll have to show me~ I've got quite a lot of money left right now, so I don't mind at all~" Not to mention that he didn't mind spoiling Yuuta a little. Wait. That's what he was doing, wasn't it? Somehow that made things even more amusing, especially since he was usually the one on the receiving end of such treatment.
"Nfu~ I regret that it won't be as much of a surprise, but I'd rather get you something you'd actually enjoy than waste my time and money to disappoint~"
Yuuta blinked again, really surprised. Mizuki-san was willing to spend a lot of money on him? No, no, he was going to forget the why's and how come's. It was just friendship. Still, he couldn't help his blush again (it really needed to stop) as he scratched the back of his head and finally managed a, "Okay, sure! Oh, but don't worry about it not being a surprise. After some of the presents Aniki's gotten me, I could do with fewer surprises." He grimaced slightly in remembrance. He still didn't believe his brother had 'accidentally' switched Neesan's bras (why even get your sister bras for Christmas?!) with his game.
He looked around again at the stores lining the street. The store he was talking about was a good ways away. "Um, do you want to finish up here first before we head over there? The store I'm talking about is close to Yamabuki, so we'd have to take the bus."
"I'm done here," Mizuki admitted with a slight shrug. He'd decided to spend his money on Yuuta first and whatever was left over would be spent on himself and his wardrobe. After all, Yuuta really was the only person he had left to buy for (even if he'd lied and said he'd had a few more on his list) He just didn't want to admit that he hadn't been able to figure out what Yuuta wanted. (They hadn't seen each other in a while, so it was harder to gather data and be discreet about it when all he had to rely on were online posts).
"So, how expensive are these shirts, by the way?" It may have sounded like he was nitpicking, but he was really trying to determine if he could buy Yuuta more than one.
Yuuta nodded. Whatever Mizuki-san had wanted to get there, obviously they didn't have it now. Or maybe he was just tired of looking for now. Yuuta turned in the direction of the bus stop, but then turned back and grabbed Mizuki-san's hand. Firmly telling himself that there was nothing more than concern for a friend involved, he hastened to explain. "The crowd's getting thicker now, stick close or we might get separated." And the crowd was getting thicker, more people coming out to shop now that they were off work, so they'd have to stick close or they'd lose each other for sure.
He pulled Mizuki-san along with him until they reached the relative safety of the bus stop, and then turned to his friend. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to drag you around." He smiled reassuringly, completely forgetting to let go until it dawned on him that his hand was warm because he'd grabbed Mizuki's, so he dropped the other's with a stammered, "S-s-sorry. Sorry."
Mizuki hadn't really been given a choice on the matter, but because Yuuta's logic had made sense (and proven effective), he didn't protest. It wasn't until they were at the bus stop, and his hand still hadn't been released, that he once again registered the contact. He rarely ever let physical contact come into play unless he was the one to initiate it.
So why did this not bother him?
Though Yuuta seemed to notice it at the same time because he'd withdrawn his hand and stammered out some sort of nervous apology. Even that was kind of cute. (Again, he wouldn't admit this to anyone). "It's fine," he responded as casually as he could, trying to reassure the other boy that holding hands with your friend of the same gender was totally acceptable. ...Even if it kind of wasn't.
Yuuta nodded, unable to look Mizuki-san in the eye after that. He said it was fine, but there was a world of difference between grabbing onto someone so you didn't get separated, and holding someone's hand. He sighed, trying to get himself together. He was acting like a clueless idiot! This wasn't a date, and this wasn't a stranger! This was a shopping trip with Mizuki-san, and why was he being like this? He needed to get a grip and stop acting all weird or Mizuki-san was going to get weirded out and leave.
Their bus arrived and they managed to get a seat together without any fuss, which was a relief to Yuuta. If the rest of the trip could go as smoothly, then they'd be okay. He'd be okay.
Then he realized belatedly that Mizuki-san had asked him a question earlier that he'd never bothered to answer, and he wanted to headdesk. "Um, to answer your question from before, Mizuki-san, the shirts are about 1200 yen each." And didn't he just feel lame saying that so long after the fact?
Yuuta was definitely acting peculiar, if not downright weird. It wasn't like him (or from what he remembered last time they'd met) and he was certain (or hoped, at least) that Yuuta couldn't have changed that much in such a short time. Mizuki had been thinking this over, and trying to come up with an answer and a way to make things right again, when Yuuta finally answered his question.
Honestly, he had almost forgotten about it. "...Ah, that's not too bad at all." This was a little awkward, but he wasn't about to let the other boy know that. Though, that didn't stop him from asking, "Are you alright, Yuuta-kun? You've looked as if you have a fever this whole time...”
When: Last Tuesday (12/16)
Where: Various shopping places in Tokyo and a couple of buses
Summary: Yuuta finally joins Mizuki-san on his shopping trip... only things kind of go wrong for both of them. o.O
Warning/Rating: PG for a couple of naughty words, I think.
Player Comments: This is the most awkward log I'v ever done. Yuuta was a mess. But it's also cute and fluffy and I adore it. <3
Comments/Crits Allowed: Yep yep yep! ^^
People. There were people everywhere. (Though this was the station, he should've expected that much.) Perhaps it was a bad idea to set up a shopping trip this close to the holidays, but Mizuki wasn't about to call it off this late. He'd deal with it...After all, it wasn't as if he would be alone~
Of all the students he'd come in contact with at St. Rudolph, he had to say Yuuta was one of his favorites--right up there with Akazawa (who, unfortunately, couldn't make it. Otherwise he'd be standing right next to the manager). If anything, being in good company again would be enough to make the crowds seem more pleasant.
Idly checking his watch, Mizuki shifted from foot to foot lightly, trying to keep a little warmer in the December air as he waited. Well, Yuuta wasn't technically late, so he wouldn't scold the boy yet...if he showed up soon.
Yuuta huffed along, willing the people around him to move a little faster. If he didn't reach the station soon he'd be late! Then he'd get fussed at and made to carry all of Mizuki-san's bags as punishment. He really hadn't meant to start out late, but he'd wanted to check on Kaidoh-kun before he left, and the two of them had gotten to talking and before he knew it, he'd had to run the entire way there. And while Mizuki-san's training kept him in good enough shape to do that, the cold air burning his lungs made it much harder.
Finally, though, he spotted a familiar head of curled hair standing in front of the station, and waved. "Mizuki-san!" he called. "I'm here!" he jogged up to his former manager and stopped, huffing and puffing little white clouds in the chilled air. "Sorry if I'm late, I let the time slip by without noticing."
"Hmm~" Mizuki glanced again at his watch, looking much like a teacher checking the clock to decide whether or not his student was late for class. "You had a minute and a half to spare, so I suppose I'll let you off without a warning." Of course, that didn't mean Yuuta would get out of carrying at least a few bags~
His hand returned to the slightly warmer coat pockets as he looked the younger boy over. "You've grown a little," he noted, nodding as if it was something he approved of, "Are you doing well?"
Yuuta laughed shyly, one hand going behind his head and a slight blush dusting his cheeks. Well, at least the other boy didn't seem to mad at him, which was always good. "I hit a growth spurt a few months or so ago and my legs stretched out some, that's all. But I'm good, especially now that the nuns can't pile on homework. And I'm looking forward to moving up to the high school division with everyone else, though I'll miss talking to Kaidoh-kun every day." He stopped himself, his blush darkening as he realized he was rambling.
"Um. So! Uh, how have you been? It's been a while since we talked in person. You..." Mizuki-san hadn't grown at all. Not one millimeter, that Yuuta could tell. He looked the same as he always did. "You've... grown too, haven't you?" Oh well, it wouldn't hurt anything to fudge the truth a little, right?
Mizuki blinked, looking himself over and then returning his gaze to Yuuta, a brow raised in question. "166 cm. Same as last year, and the year before." At this rate, Mizuki was beginning to lose hope of ever gaining another centimeter. However, the thought was nice, and perhaps he did look a little taller? A slight smirk tugged at his lips as he felt his ego grow just a tad at the idea of looking taller than he was. Perhaps it was true~
...Besides, even if he weren’t, he'd always have the upper hand in the age department. He would always be the senpai and Yuuta would always be the kohai. "I'm doing well though~ Nothing too notable has happened since we last spoke though, I'm afraid..." A small sigh marked the end of that statement. Apparently, the life of a high school student was just as dull (if not more) than that of a junior high student. Sad, really.
"A-ah!" Yuuta's face turned a little bit darker against his will and adjusted his scarf, hoping it would go unremarked. Caught in his untruth! Time for a distraction. "Um, well, you look... nice, anyway! That's a... very nice... uh, shirt." Very loud and very busily patterned, but it was something Mizuki-san would like so he was determined to compliment it and make the other boy happy. He nodded at his sempai's update, completely understanding what he meant. "School is school, ne? It's all nuns and homework and tennis."
He stopped then, and gestured at the sidewalk. "Um, why don't we get going to the stores, since I'm sure you want to do as much shopping as we can? You can tell me about how everyone else is on the way. I haven't seen any of them either since you all graduated." He smiled at that, eager to hear how his former buchou and other teammates were doing.
"Nfu~ Thank you~" Mizuki's smirk grew a fraction. He'd have to give Yuuta a bonus point for a clever recovery. He took the other boy's lead and set out into the crowds, making sure that Yuuta was following him first. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke, "Hmm, Atsushi-kun and Shinya-kun are doing well. Though, I'm not quite sure if Shinya-kun's grades are as high as he'd like to believe they were, and Atsushi-kun seemed to be missing his twin more than usual the last time I saw him. Nomura-kun... Well, the only thing new with him is that he's gotten over his crush on our English teacher from last year. Finally."
Mizuki paused briefly, considering something in a store window before continuing on, apparently deeming it not worth his time. "Akazawa... is the same as always, I suppose. Hot-tempered, hard-headed, but soft-hearted." He shrugged, "Nothing much has changed."
Yuuta smiled a little, not put off by Mizuki-san's apparently dismissive words. He knew the manager cared about the team; he just had a difficult time showing it. He followed obediently behind the other boy, wondering what the others had gotten up to while he'd been in the middle school still. He'd picked up a love for American metal and industrial music and a penchant for guitar playing. How had everyone else changed? How had Mizuki-san changed? He suddenly wanted to know. He felt like he was seeing his manager with a new set of eyes, after being apart for a while. He wasn't sure why it was, or why it made his heart beat fast like he was running again, but... it wasn't awful.
"S-so, uh, can I ask what you're looking for? Are you Christmas shopping, or just looking for something interesting?" The easiest thing to do was to get him to talk. Once he started opening up, maybe Yuuta could figure out what was going on, and what this feeling was.
Mizuki looked thoughtful for a moment, eyes scanning the windows as they passed them. "Yes, a bit of last minute shopping...for others and myself." Though the shopping for himself wasn't so much for Christmas as it was just general clothes shopping he'd put off in favor of focusing on school. In his opinion, he was desperately in need of some new winter clothing, and fashion was something he believed could only be picked out by the individual wearing it. He'd never let his family decide that for him--it was far too important!
"Is there anything you need to get while we're out?" He asked, as an added thought. If Yuuta was going to accompany him, he might as well try to get a little more out of it.
"Oh, okay," Yuuta forced his eyes not to glaze over in boredom. Fashion was something he'd never been too interested in, but he did like dressing in a distinctive style. He looked down at his worn boots, faded jeans, and imported A Perfect Circle t-shirt. Well, okay, maybe he was a little bit of a fashion person, since he'd gotten into the metal look, so it wasn't all that bad, right? But Mizuki offering to buy him clothes, especially in this upper-income shopping area? He couldn't do that!
"No, no, I'm fine!" he said quickly, smiling reassuringly to show his sincerity. He'd be okay with his clothes. He didn’t feel the need to constantly add to his collection, since it made packing for home that much harder. "Um, anything in particular you wanted, like a jacket or something?" Maybe, if he could get a job at the local library, he could save up and-- wait, why was he thinking about giving Mizuki-san a present? Christmas presents were for families and couples.
"Hmm... If you say so," Mizuki replied, seemingly forgetting the offer he'd extended to the younger boy. The offer Yuuta was presenting now though was tempting. He looked over his former teammate with a questioning glance, weighing the options in his head.
"...Can you pay for it?" He asked warily, thought politely. He didn't know if Yuuta had a job, but from what he'd gathered in the past, the boy rarely had the kind of money needed to buy the particular jacket Mizuki had in mind. Hell, he himself barely had the money for it! He could only afford this shopping spree because he'd saved up his allowance for the last month or two.
Yuuta cringed, knowing that whatever Mizuki-san was talking about, it was probably expensive. He had a grand total of about 5000 yen in his pocket, the sum total of his allowance for the month, but he knew what Mizuki-san wanted could easily cost ten times as much. "Ah, no, I don't think so," he said, his shoulders slumping. He didn't even know why it made him sad that he couldn't, and by the time he could winter would be long gone, and Mizuki-san wouldn't even want it anymore. Even if he got a job, he'd really have to save to afford it, and... No good. It just wouldn't work.
"Ah, sorry. Forget I said anything, okay?” He looked away, watching the people walk by in their tailored suits and expensive dresses and wishing Mizuki-san would keep just ignore the conversation as though it hadn't happened. It was always easier to be near him when Yuuta was walking behind him.
Was that...disappointment? Genuine disappointment? Mizuki blinked, watching Yuuta from the corner of his eyes as he slowed the pace a bit to walk beside the other boy. Mizuki almost wondered if he should feel guilty for making Yuuta feel bad about something like that, but he quickly talked himself out of it. Yuuta had been the one to offer, after all!
But still... The kid had good intentions, he always did. "Hmm..." Mizuki fell back into his previous pace, stepping a little ahead of the younger boy. "There is another jacket I've been eyeing recently...It's about 4500 yen, but I haven't ever had the time to go back for it, with classes and holidays..." Honestly, there was another jacket--lighter weight, more suitable for fall, but Mizuki had taken a liking to it nonetheless. He still had no idea of how much money Yuuta had, but it was Mizuki's roundabout way of saying that he wasn't disappointed that Yuuta apparently couldn't afford the other one.
Yuuta could feel himself perking up at that. "Really?! I mean-- oh, really? Um, whe-where would that one be?" He tried to be nonchalant about it, though he wasn't sure how well he'd pulled it off. It didn't help that he almost tripped right afterwards on a crack in the sidewalk because he'd been paying more attention to his manager than his feet. He didn't fall, at least, which was a small blessing. But his face was bright red as he corrected himself and then proceeded, cat-like, to pretend it hadn't happened.
"Um, just out of curiousity, what size do you wear?" He cringed as soon as it was out his mouth, though, appalled. Smooth. Could he have been more obvious about his intentions? Guh, Mizuki-san was probably going to laugh at him now.
Mizuki couldn't help but smile to himself. Yuuta had always been rather easy to read. No, scratch that, extremely easy to read. It wasn't a bad thing, seeing as how that sort of honesty was something Mizuki found charming, it was just...well, funny. And cute--but Mizuki was far from willing to ever admit that to anyone. Ever. Even himself.
Rather than laugh outright, Mizuki managed to keep it to a soft chuckle and decided to humor the other. "Nfu~ I believe I saw it at that little boutique near the high school... If I remember correctly, they only had a few smalls left..." Though he was sure at least one would still be there. It wasn't as if many people shared his taste in fashion, after all. (He found that to be a pity, but it made him original~)
Yuuta might have gone into a terminal blush if he'd known Mizuki-san'd even thought of him as cute. However, he was completely oblivious about his own thoughts and feelings, never mind his former manager's, so he was safe for now. All he knew was that Mizuki-san looked different than he had before, though Yuuta couldn't explain just how, or why it made his heart beat fast when Mizuki-san smiled, or why he was willing to blow an entire month's allowance on one jacket for his manager at Christmas without a second thought.
And even as he was calling himself crazy for it, he memorized the location of the place the coat was at so he could go there one day soon and buy it for the other boy. He was even plotting to figure out which one it was, since there was likely more than one in the store, and Yuuta wasn't about to look like an even bigger dork in front of his sempai by asking for details. Maybe one of the salespeople had seen Mizuki-san looking at it, and could point it out...?
Mizuki smiled to himself again (though it was more a smirk), quite happy with things now. He didn't have to feel guilty, Yuuta would feel accomplished, and he'd get that jacket he'd been wanting. What could be better? Oh, wait. Just to make sure Yuuta got the right one...
He sighed wistfully, cradling his chin with forefinger and thumb as he walked. "It was my favorite color too...Pure white, with such a nice purple color lining...and embroidery...hmm...” Another sigh, trying to make it apparent how much he'd admired it--for Yuuta's sake. It was true he'd grown fond of it, but there was no harm in making the other boy think he would be buying something that Mizuki was just DYING to have.
"Oh, really," Yuuta said airily, trying to pretend he was more interested in people's shoes than in the conversation. (Really, he was just watching the sidewalk so he didn't trip again.) But inside he was memorizing the details. White, purple lining, embroidery... got it. He'd go look tomorrow. And wow, it sounded like Mizuki-san really wanted it, too. Maybe he'd be doing a really good thing by getting him the jacket? Hey, yeah, and Mizuki-san would be really happy and maybe hug him for it!
Yuuta felt his eyes widen as he tripped again, this time over his own flat feet, sending him to the sidewalk. What in the world?! Why was he thinking about hugs and blushing fit to catch on fire and why was his heart beating so fast?! He quickly stood up and dusted himself off, hoping Mizuki-san hadn't seen or heard him fall. God, he was just a ball of embarrassment today, wasn't he? Distraction. They needed a distraction somewhere, quick.
Eh? Mizuki was certain he'd heard the sound of shoes scraping pavement and a rather painful fall; but when he turned to look at Yuuta, the boy was standing. Raising a brow, he made sure to take notice of the redness on the other's cheeks and the way he carried himself. Yeah, that was more than enough data to tell him that he had, indeed, heard someone fall--and that someone was frantically trying to play it off as if it had never happened.
Hm, well, he supposed there was no point in humiliating him further. Yuuta seemed to be embarrassed enough about it, judging from the color on his face. "Something wrong?" He opted to fake innocence.
Yuuta choked at the question, but tried to recover enough to play dumb. "Hm? No, everything's fine. Just fine, nothing wrong... Oh, what's that?" He pointed to a random window and walked up to it, inspecting the jewelry inside as though he cared what it was. He had to wonder, though, if some of the stuff in this window was fake. Diamonds didn't really come that big, did they? If so, they wouldn't be behind a window facing a street, where anyone could break in and steal them. So these must be fake, but the 750,000-yen price tag said otherwise. He glanced at Mizuki-san, curious.
"Who'd ever wear something like that?" he asked, stumped. "It'd get in the way when you're doing things like writing, or playing tennis, or whatever. It's just... rocks."
Mizuki smirked, shaking his head as he came over, taking a look at what Yuuta was questioning. "Just rocks?" he asked, looking more amused than surprised at the boy's apathy toward precious jewels. "It takes a lot to make those 'rocks' naturally, you know...." Idly, he glanced over the window display, twirling a strand of hair. "They're beautiful though," he mumbled to himself before speaking to Yuuta again, a hint of amusement in his voice, "Though I don't know anyone who plays tennis with any jewelry on, regardless of size~ Nfufu."
"Though, something that big is only attractive in a case. It would look ridiculous on a person..." This seemed to be working well. At least, a little of the color had receded from Yuuta's cheeks, even if they were still quite pink. Mizuki couldn't help but smile at that. He didn't know why he found it amusing, but it was.
Yuuta nodded, eyes still on the case. "I mean, I know they're rare and all, but that doesn't seem to me like reason enough to want them. They're just not... I dunno, useful? If they did something cool, I could see it, but just decoration seems like a waste of money to me. And you're right, on a person that would just look silly. Like they were trying too hard to look a certain way. I could even picture them!" He laughed at the mental image. "One of those old, plump ladies with way too much makeup and a million gold necklaces and a little toy poodle that growls at everything!"
With that, he felt as though his embarrassment had faded enough to allow him to face the other fully. "Ah, but I'm getting us off-track. I'm sorry. We came to look for things for you. Um, did you have any shops in mind, or you just wanted to window-shop for a while?"
Mizuki couldn't help but laugh at the imaged placed in his head now, his hand going from his hair to his mouth, covering it slightly as he did so. "Y-You're right... Nfufu... Now I can't stop thinking about that. Thanks." It was said with a smile and shaking of his head.
Yuuta seemed more comfortable now, so Mizuki was able to dismiss the previous event entirely. After all, there was no other excuse he could come up with as to why his underclassman had blushed so horribly, other than the fall of course. "Well, I need to buy gifts for a few last people too. Though I'm not quite sure what to get." Hence the reason they were last.
Yuuta chuckled at Mizuki's amusement, glad that he could make his... teammate? friend?... laugh. Still, they were here for a reason, so he needed to not distract quite so much. "Well, maybe if you take them one at a time, and try narrowing down possibilities? It might be easier to figure out what to get by eliminating what not to get."
He looked around and the shops lining both sides of the street. There were so many, all of them seemingly different and yet the same, and felt a little lost. He wasn't really good at getting presents, though he knew how to pick up hints from family members on things they'd like. That was why he'd gotten his brother a scarf and mittens instead of something tennis-related, and he'd gotten his sister and mother each things they'd spoken of before.
Well, then I know not to get those 'rocks'," Mizuki commented, voice still tinged with amusement. "Hmm~" He followed Yuuta's line of sight, looking down the sidewalk at the stores on either side of the street. "Perhaps it would be easier if I just asked them what they wanted..." He sigh a bit, "It takes the surprise out of it, but if they don't mind, I suppose it's fine..." He glanced at Yuuta expectantly, assuming the boy would take the hint.
Yuuta blinked at Mizuki, completely missing any signals. "Well, okay then. At least it means you won't get them something they don't like. So, I guess we just get the things you wanted to get out here, and come back later to buy the other stuff?" which would mean another trip with Mizuki-san, and possibly more tripping over the sidewalk and more blushing and more embarrassment, but for some reason... it didn't seem so bad. He looked at his hands, wondering what it all meant.
Ok...That hadn't worked. Darn, and Mizuki didn't think he was being all that subtle either. Well, if the only way to clearly get his point across was to bluntly state it, then he didn't have much choice. Suppressing the urge to sigh in frustration, Mizuki recollected his patience and twirled a strand of hair, lips smirking again to regain his attitude.
"Nfu~ Or I could just ask you. What do you want for Christmas, Yuuta-kun?"
Yuuta watched Mizuki-san collect himself, and almost cringed inside. Well, whatever he'd been trying to say, Yuuta hadn't gotten it, and now his sempai was frustrated with him. But then it came out, and he could feel his jaw hit the ground. He... couldn't think. His mind was a complete blank because Christmas was for family and couples and Mizuki-san wasn't family! He could feel his face lighting up again, bright red and almost painfully hot, as he tried to process the question.
"Uh, I... want? Um, I mean-- uh... I-I-I don't know. I mean, um... what?" He knew he sounded stupid, he knew he did. But with one question, his entire world suddenly seemed off-kilter and he couldn't understand why he wasn't upset by the shift that had so totally thrown him for a loop.
Mizuki blinked, torn between feeling surprised or concerned at this reaction. His hand that was curling a strand of hair had stopped for a moment, and they both sort of just...stood there, the nervousness on Yuuta's part making it a little awkward. The older of the two quickly tried to save the mood though, his finger resuming is twirling and his calm attitude trying to smooth over the other's flustering.
"Yes, Yuuta-kun, what do you want for Christmas? Something tennis related? Or perhaps music...?" He offered suggestions, looking at the other expectantly, hoping they would get Yuuta back on track.
Yuuta pulled his jacket closed nervously, adjusting his scarf and hoping like anything that his face wouldn't burst into flames. Great, now he looked stupid on top of clumsy and weird. But why? Why get him anything? He wasn't... he wasn't the type of guy that other guys bought things for... was he? Though there had been the rumors and all at school, and the passes that some guys had made at him... but this was Mizuki-san. Mizuki-san was nice, no matter what his brother might say. This was just him being nice, since the team had been something like a family themselves.
He didn't know why that thought left him feeling vaguely hollow, but he pushed it and his initial embarrassment aside enough to answer. "Well, you don't--" No, of course he didn't, but he was, so there should be a better way to say it. "Well, if you wanted to buy me a set of strings for my guitar, I could use them. It's time I replaced the ones I'm using now." There, that was good, but neutral.
Mizuki nodded, taking the suggestion in mental notes and filing it away. "Anything else?" he asked, smirking in apparent amusement at the way the younger boy was reacting. Was he that surprised that Mizuki would do something for him? Maybe he just hadn't expected the manager to buy anything for anyone? Well, he'd bought a few of the other teammates gifts this year, but it was true that Yuuta was the only one he'd be unsure of what to buy for... and the only one he extended more than one gift-offer to.
Perhaps that meant he really did favor Yuuta, even though he claimed to have no favorites among friends/teammates. Oh well, it didn't bother him too much, even when he thought about it.
Yuuta blinked, trying not to blush again. (Which, as it turns out, he still had no control over.) Not one, but two gifts? Well, it was true that the strings wouldn't cost too much, maybe he figured he had to spend more because Yuuta was getting him the coat? Except he wasn't supposed to know that Yuuta was getting him the coat, but... okay, now he was getting confused. He pushed that aside too, and focused on the question he'd been asked.
"Um, I guess if you wanted to get me something else, um, I could use more grip tape?" Something else nice and neutral. And it wasn't the first thing that popped into his head which was a BAD BAD idea and he would never think of it again.
"Grip tape?" Mizuki asked, shaking his head and waving it off dismissively, "Grip tape is nothing. Is there anything else you'd like in that case? If you won't let me get you anything big, then I'll have to do with a lot of small things." He seemed rather stubborn in this matter (not that he wasn't stubborn in almost every matter).
Of course, it may have looked a little strange, but he (again) didn't feel too bothered by it. He'd come to terms with Yuuta being his 'star project' and well...maybe, one of his closest friends. Kinda, sorta. Now THAT was something he didn't like to think on often because he knew he'd done little to really earn that sort of relationship, even if he'd long since been forgiven for...certain things.
Yuuta almost chuckled at that. Yes, that was just like Mizuki-san. The generosity might surprise people (like it was him), but that stubbornness really wouldn't. He seemed dead-set on not only buying Yuuta something for Christmas, but also making it something of decent value. He shook his head, more amused than embarrassed now, and let go of the why's and how come's. It didn't matter. In the end, Mizuki-san was his friend and wanted to be nice to him for Christmas.
Well, if you want to buy me something a little more expensive, there are a few t-shirts I've been wanting in a store I know. They're imported, so they're more expensive than normal, but they're from some of my favorite bands. Or just some accessories, depending on how much you wanted to spend." He looked at his friend, a small smile on his face. "Is that okay?"
Finally! Mizuki smiled (more like smirked), an air of triumph about him now. "You'll have to show me~ I've got quite a lot of money left right now, so I don't mind at all~" Not to mention that he didn't mind spoiling Yuuta a little. Wait. That's what he was doing, wasn't it? Somehow that made things even more amusing, especially since he was usually the one on the receiving end of such treatment.
"Nfu~ I regret that it won't be as much of a surprise, but I'd rather get you something you'd actually enjoy than waste my time and money to disappoint~"
Yuuta blinked again, really surprised. Mizuki-san was willing to spend a lot of money on him? No, no, he was going to forget the why's and how come's. It was just friendship. Still, he couldn't help his blush again (it really needed to stop) as he scratched the back of his head and finally managed a, "Okay, sure! Oh, but don't worry about it not being a surprise. After some of the presents Aniki's gotten me, I could do with fewer surprises." He grimaced slightly in remembrance. He still didn't believe his brother had 'accidentally' switched Neesan's bras (why even get your sister bras for Christmas?!) with his game.
He looked around again at the stores lining the street. The store he was talking about was a good ways away. "Um, do you want to finish up here first before we head over there? The store I'm talking about is close to Yamabuki, so we'd have to take the bus."
"I'm done here," Mizuki admitted with a slight shrug. He'd decided to spend his money on Yuuta first and whatever was left over would be spent on himself and his wardrobe. After all, Yuuta really was the only person he had left to buy for (even if he'd lied and said he'd had a few more on his list) He just didn't want to admit that he hadn't been able to figure out what Yuuta wanted. (They hadn't seen each other in a while, so it was harder to gather data and be discreet about it when all he had to rely on were online posts).
"So, how expensive are these shirts, by the way?" It may have sounded like he was nitpicking, but he was really trying to determine if he could buy Yuuta more than one.
Yuuta nodded. Whatever Mizuki-san had wanted to get there, obviously they didn't have it now. Or maybe he was just tired of looking for now. Yuuta turned in the direction of the bus stop, but then turned back and grabbed Mizuki-san's hand. Firmly telling himself that there was nothing more than concern for a friend involved, he hastened to explain. "The crowd's getting thicker now, stick close or we might get separated." And the crowd was getting thicker, more people coming out to shop now that they were off work, so they'd have to stick close or they'd lose each other for sure.
He pulled Mizuki-san along with him until they reached the relative safety of the bus stop, and then turned to his friend. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to drag you around." He smiled reassuringly, completely forgetting to let go until it dawned on him that his hand was warm because he'd grabbed Mizuki's, so he dropped the other's with a stammered, "S-s-sorry. Sorry."
Mizuki hadn't really been given a choice on the matter, but because Yuuta's logic had made sense (and proven effective), he didn't protest. It wasn't until they were at the bus stop, and his hand still hadn't been released, that he once again registered the contact. He rarely ever let physical contact come into play unless he was the one to initiate it.
So why did this not bother him?
Though Yuuta seemed to notice it at the same time because he'd withdrawn his hand and stammered out some sort of nervous apology. Even that was kind of cute. (Again, he wouldn't admit this to anyone). "It's fine," he responded as casually as he could, trying to reassure the other boy that holding hands with your friend of the same gender was totally acceptable. ...Even if it kind of wasn't.
Yuuta nodded, unable to look Mizuki-san in the eye after that. He said it was fine, but there was a world of difference between grabbing onto someone so you didn't get separated, and holding someone's hand. He sighed, trying to get himself together. He was acting like a clueless idiot! This wasn't a date, and this wasn't a stranger! This was a shopping trip with Mizuki-san, and why was he being like this? He needed to get a grip and stop acting all weird or Mizuki-san was going to get weirded out and leave.
Their bus arrived and they managed to get a seat together without any fuss, which was a relief to Yuuta. If the rest of the trip could go as smoothly, then they'd be okay. He'd be okay.
Then he realized belatedly that Mizuki-san had asked him a question earlier that he'd never bothered to answer, and he wanted to headdesk. "Um, to answer your question from before, Mizuki-san, the shirts are about 1200 yen each." And didn't he just feel lame saying that so long after the fact?
Yuuta was definitely acting peculiar, if not downright weird. It wasn't like him (or from what he remembered last time they'd met) and he was certain (or hoped, at least) that Yuuta couldn't have changed that much in such a short time. Mizuki had been thinking this over, and trying to come up with an answer and a way to make things right again, when Yuuta finally answered his question.
Honestly, he had almost forgotten about it. "...Ah, that's not too bad at all." This was a little awkward, but he wasn't about to let the other boy know that. Though, that didn't stop him from asking, "Are you alright, Yuuta-kun? You've looked as if you have a fever this whole time...”