Gasp--an update!
Hey guys, sorry for the long delay, especially after I'd promised a quick sequel to "Genie." Umm...I fail at life. Sorry 'bout that. Anyway, here it is, hope everyone enjoys it!
#35 Daily Planner
"Chicken Counting"
Part of the Aladdin's Lamp series.
741 words
He had her heart in his hands. There was no way she would be able to deny him now.
Mamoru looked down at the pair of vouchers in his hand, each good for one free meal at Aladdin’s Lamp, one of the most glamorous and exclusive restaurants in Tokyo. He’d heard Usagi chatting with her friends about it several days now, ever since the proprietors had started offering a chance to win a dinner for two. A dinner at restaurant that normally catered to high powered executives and wealthy debutantes wasn’t an occurrence that middle school-aged girls experienced regularly. But now, through the intervention of one beneficial (if flirtatious) genie, Mamoru had the opportunity to make one of Usagi’s wishes come true. And with that, hopefully grant one of his own as well.
He had a plan, and it couldn’t fail. It was simplicity itself. He’d take her out to a romantic dinner. He’d apologize for being a jerk, and show her just how funny and charming he could be. Also very simple. He’d been winning over women practically since he could toddle. He didn’t understand how, he certainly didn’t try, but it was just something that happened-whether he wanted it to or not. Surely, with just a bit of effort, he could charm his Usako, the one woman who really mattered in his life.
Anyway, they’d leave dinner friends, at the very least. As he was dropping her off at her house, he’d casually mention that he knew of a local candy factory that had live demonstrations of fudge making on the weekends-and they gave away free samples to anyone who came. That would surely snag her interest. And the Wednesday after, they were showing a sneak peek of the latest Miyazaki film. He bet he could convince her to skip out on an afternoon at the arcade to go see that, especially if he promised to buy dinner afterwards. And that, ladies and gentlemen, was a bona fide date! Dinner and the movies-he’d defy anyone to call it otherwise.
So, their first “real” date would be a little under a week from today. Not bad. His pragmatic side cautioned that she might not be willing to consider herself his girlfriend by that point, but that was fine. That was why he had a plan, after all. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out his Palm Pilot, and opened it up to his planner. Okay, so then, the following weekend, there was an open-air concert at the park. Which would open up a perfect opportunity for an “impromptu” invitation to a picnic in the rose gardens. Oh yeah, roses, he definitely would need to bring roses to dinner. Not as if that were a problem; he was probably the one man on earth who didn’t have to worry about Valentine’s day bouquets.
Several hours later, Motoki wandered over to the booth where Mamoru had been ensconced all afternoon. Mamoru never even noticed his best friend’s approach, leaving Motoki to eavesdrop shamelessly on the conversation that Mamoru was having…with himself.
“All right, so our first kiss will be on her birthday when I’m driving her back from the reataurant-that works, it’s not too far away, and she’ll still be able to claim Sweet 16 and never been kissed. I’ve heard about her dad…”
“I noticed you haven’t scheduled your wedding day yet,” Motoki said, mildly.
“Of course not! Don’t be stupid, you know how unpredictable the weather can be in early May-!” Mamoru started, then cut himself off abruptly, cheeks flaming. Motoki collapsed into the opposite seat, laughing until tears streamed down his face. “I hate you,” Mamoru muttered sourly, not at all placated by the mug of coffee that Motoki had put in front of him before his dissolution into a fit of giggles.
“Don’t you think you’re counting your chickens, just a bit?” Motoki finally choked out, holding his aching stomach.
“What are you talking about?” Mamoru protested. “I’ve got this planned out perfectly! There’s absolutely nothing that could go wrong.” Flustered, he showed Motoki his Palm Pilot, where each of their dates was entered in neatly. “See? Perfect!”
“No, no, I agree, Mamoru-kun, this is a very well laid-out plan. I just have one question: have you actually asked Usagi-chan yet?”
Of all the answers Motoki was expecting, the last was to have Usagi herself answer, “Ask me what, Mamoru-baka?”
#35 Daily Planner
"Chicken Counting"
Part of the Aladdin's Lamp series.
741 words
He had her heart in his hands. There was no way she would be able to deny him now.
Mamoru looked down at the pair of vouchers in his hand, each good for one free meal at Aladdin’s Lamp, one of the most glamorous and exclusive restaurants in Tokyo. He’d heard Usagi chatting with her friends about it several days now, ever since the proprietors had started offering a chance to win a dinner for two. A dinner at restaurant that normally catered to high powered executives and wealthy debutantes wasn’t an occurrence that middle school-aged girls experienced regularly. But now, through the intervention of one beneficial (if flirtatious) genie, Mamoru had the opportunity to make one of Usagi’s wishes come true. And with that, hopefully grant one of his own as well.
He had a plan, and it couldn’t fail. It was simplicity itself. He’d take her out to a romantic dinner. He’d apologize for being a jerk, and show her just how funny and charming he could be. Also very simple. He’d been winning over women practically since he could toddle. He didn’t understand how, he certainly didn’t try, but it was just something that happened-whether he wanted it to or not. Surely, with just a bit of effort, he could charm his Usako, the one woman who really mattered in his life.
Anyway, they’d leave dinner friends, at the very least. As he was dropping her off at her house, he’d casually mention that he knew of a local candy factory that had live demonstrations of fudge making on the weekends-and they gave away free samples to anyone who came. That would surely snag her interest. And the Wednesday after, they were showing a sneak peek of the latest Miyazaki film. He bet he could convince her to skip out on an afternoon at the arcade to go see that, especially if he promised to buy dinner afterwards. And that, ladies and gentlemen, was a bona fide date! Dinner and the movies-he’d defy anyone to call it otherwise.
So, their first “real” date would be a little under a week from today. Not bad. His pragmatic side cautioned that she might not be willing to consider herself his girlfriend by that point, but that was fine. That was why he had a plan, after all. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out his Palm Pilot, and opened it up to his planner. Okay, so then, the following weekend, there was an open-air concert at the park. Which would open up a perfect opportunity for an “impromptu” invitation to a picnic in the rose gardens. Oh yeah, roses, he definitely would need to bring roses to dinner. Not as if that were a problem; he was probably the one man on earth who didn’t have to worry about Valentine’s day bouquets.
Several hours later, Motoki wandered over to the booth where Mamoru had been ensconced all afternoon. Mamoru never even noticed his best friend’s approach, leaving Motoki to eavesdrop shamelessly on the conversation that Mamoru was having…with himself.
“All right, so our first kiss will be on her birthday when I’m driving her back from the reataurant-that works, it’s not too far away, and she’ll still be able to claim Sweet 16 and never been kissed. I’ve heard about her dad…”
“I noticed you haven’t scheduled your wedding day yet,” Motoki said, mildly.
“Of course not! Don’t be stupid, you know how unpredictable the weather can be in early May-!” Mamoru started, then cut himself off abruptly, cheeks flaming. Motoki collapsed into the opposite seat, laughing until tears streamed down his face. “I hate you,” Mamoru muttered sourly, not at all placated by the mug of coffee that Motoki had put in front of him before his dissolution into a fit of giggles.
“Don’t you think you’re counting your chickens, just a bit?” Motoki finally choked out, holding his aching stomach.
“What are you talking about?” Mamoru protested. “I’ve got this planned out perfectly! There’s absolutely nothing that could go wrong.” Flustered, he showed Motoki his Palm Pilot, where each of their dates was entered in neatly. “See? Perfect!”
“No, no, I agree, Mamoru-kun, this is a very well laid-out plan. I just have one question: have you actually asked Usagi-chan yet?”
Of all the answers Motoki was expecting, the last was to have Usagi herself answer, “Ask me what, Mamoru-baka?”