Almost White Day [Ryosuke + open]

[Azuma Wataru]

In front of Wataru now was an accessory store. Not the ones which were fancy or has extremely expensive products, but it was the type where the items were cute and pretty at a reasonable price. A girly store. The sign read ‘ White day special sale’, with pink patterns and bows drawn all over it. Nervously, Wataru peeked inside the shop window and found that even inside the store, the decorations, tables and even the staff uniform was a pinkish colour.


Oh god, just what have I gotten myself into?



So what had made Wataru make his journey all the way to this girly accessory store? It all happened 4 days ago. He had been making some progress with Mari-chan lately, in the slightest way possible. She seemed to have been taking a little more notice of him, or so he hoped. As usual, the boys were having one of their regular tumbling meets when someone had suddenly mentioned about White day.


For one thing, Wataru had heard about the special date but he had no idea on what it was for, how people celebrated it and why there was such a day. Clueless. But the more the team talked about it, the more excited he got.


Wataru wanted to give something to Mari-chan for a long time. Maybe a small gift of some sort. He still hadn’t made up his mind whether he was going to confess to her or not, but he was extremely enthusiastic in giving her a gift. Aside from the romantic feelings, if Mari hadn’t been transferred to Karasumori High, then he would not have joined the tumbling team and had such a great time ever since. He had to repay her back in some way.


And maybe, just maybe if everything was going well and Mari liked the gift a lot, he would confess to her. Just maybe. He IS Azuma Wataru right? The head of Karasumori high school who is afraid of nothing, never backing down in fights. Yet, here he was, standing in front of a pink store, smiling like an idiot as he imagined the whole scenario of how Mari-chan would be so happy and grateful to receive a gift from him. She might even be so ecstatic that she would jump straight into his arms. Highly unlikely, but Wataru’s brain was already out of control.


Then, that was when a couple of high school girls walked past and started giggling, snapping Wataru out of his stream of conscious. Wataru looked (more of a glare) at the girls and realised they were giggling at him. Embarrassed and annoyed, Wataru was overcome with the urge to walk away and forget about the whole thing. Well, he DID look pretty out of place, considering he still looked like a kick ass yankee.
Maybe he would just go to a different store. One that was less….pink.


He took a step away from the store, but then spotted another figure peering through the store window. Oh no He had to get away real quick before they saw him.


Slowly, Wataru started to back away, making his movements as light as possible, attempting to be a ninja with his eyes still focused on the other person, nervously observing whether they were going to look in his direction. Without realizing, his back side bumped into the metallic street bin. HARD. Making a loud bang noise, Wataru realised what an idiotic scene he created.

Crap

The other person must have realised that by now. Unless if they were deaf.

Feeling the other person’s glance fall upon himself, Wataru greeted “Oh, Y-Yo! What are you doing here?”

[Tsukimori Ryosuke]

ooc: Outfit Here!

This is such a cute post!!! >.< Wataru's so cute!

White Day was the time of the year Ryosuke felt most at home. He always had a little extra cash on hand, typically of his own making, though his family gave him a slight allowance in, he suspected, the hopes that he wouldn't come bothering them for something, and so it was this time of year that he usually blew all he had to buy the girls in his life something special. He always got something for his little sister, usually some kind of basket of the kinds of girly things he knew she liked, and then for all the other girls he knew, like crushes or dates or even former dates, he liked to get at least a small something.

Yet this White Day was different. Ryosuke wasn't interested in getting other girls gifts. His little sister? Yeah, okay, he would do that because he loved her and he knew how much she looked forward to it. But the the other girls? Maybe they only hung around him still because they wanted the attention. His heart was now set on another girl in his life, a girl that he was sure didn't like him nearly as much as he liked her.

But it didn't seem to matter. He was determined to find a way to prove it to her, and prove that he wasn't a Yankee anymore too.

The blonde was inside a rather fancy accessory shop, in the same shopping area he'd recently had a run-in with Kaoru, where the day had ended...somewhat bitterly. He didn't expect to see her here today, and he'd kept a close eye out for anyone even remotely similar-looking, in case she was disguised again, but he fared he was all right. There had been odd looks exchanged between the woman browsing through the accessory shop--he knew he must have looked out of place--but not entirely caring, he'd set to work looking for something perfect for Kaoru.

Compared to other girls he dated, Kaoru was distinctly different. He didn't think she was into the hugely girly bows or hairpieces of anything like that. In fact, he wouldn't have been surprised if White Day didn't interest her at all. She didn't seem like type desiring of all that attention, let alone gifts from guys she couldn't seem to stand. And yet all the same, Ryosuke had made it a point to look anyway. He just wanted to find that one special thing that would mean something to her. Then....he would....maybe he could try to make some kind of dessert or something for her. He wasn't a cook or anything, but his little sis had some baking skills, and she'd probably help.

Looking at an array of shiny necklaces and bracelets, Ryosuke wondered if girls went through this much trouble on Valentine's Day. A lot of girls had made things for him in the past, and thinking about what a chore baking was going to be, Ryosuke suddenly felt as though he'd never been grateful enough for what he'd gotten.

He lifted up a rather elegant blue-stoned charm bracelet--he'd long since learned that pink was not Kaoru's color--and was in the process of checking the price, when he looked up and saw someone very familiar looking back through the shop window at him.

Ryosuke lowered the bracelet back onto its display and moved for the door. Wataru was here!? He must have had the same instincts as Ryosuke....

Then the red-haired Yankee went backwards, right into a metal trash can. The thing flipped onto its side, clanking and groaning the entire time it bounce against the pavement. Wataru seemed , and yet seemingly unphased, his friend called, “Oh, Y-Yo! What are you doing here?”

There was a brief moment of silence, then Ryosuke started cracking up. He wanted to be caught in a pink, woman's shop probably as much as Wataru did, but he hadn't broken into a fight with a trash can for it. "Hahaha, loser." Still chuckling, Ryosuke offered his best friend a hand to help him to his feet. He think he knew why the other guy was here.

"Getting ready for White Day, huh?"

[Azuma Wataru]

OOC: Shohei's super cute too! I mean, Ryosuke



Feeling the other person’s glance fall upon himself, Wataru greeted “Oh, Y-Yo! What are you doing here?”

Wataru was feeling a heap of embarrassment well up inside him, partly because of how clumsy he had been, running absent-mindedly into a metal bin, causing a large deal of noise. But most of all, he had been spotted by one of his best buddies in a girly store during his almighty ninja attempt to escape, which inevitably failed.

Ryosuke was breaking out from laughter, teasing him "Hahaha, loser." Still chuckling, Ryosuke offered his best friend a hand to help him to his feet.. Then, willingly offering Wataru a hand to get him off his butt and standing again, Wataru grabbed onto it hard, pulling himself up, yanking Ryosuke’s arm as he got up on purpose.


Wataru stuck half his tongue out at Ryosuke as the other’s chuckling continued He think he knew why the other guy was here."Getting ready for White Day, huh?"


“That….that was an accident anyways!” Wataru responded coldly, avoiding Ryosuke’s eye contact and silently cursing the loud, troublesome bin that tumbled over.


“White day? What white day? HAH? I don’t know what you’re talking about. You-You’re wrong!” He couldn’t help the way his sentence sounded as the words stuttered out from his mouth nervously. Wataru had wanted to sound confident, with his words flowing out smoothly accompanied with his elegant voice.

Ironically, it was the opposite that had happened, and he had made more of a fool of himself than ever.


Then, Wataru turned as he faced Ryosuke as he tried to put on his calm face once again, attempting to grasp his self control. “So…what are you doing here?” Wataru knew that Ryosuke was here for white day aswell. It was more than obvious. Why else would a guy be willing to enter a pink shop for no reason when they knew that they would be teased, laughed at and made centre of all embarrassment.


“Whose the lucky girl this time?” Wataru asked Ryosuke loudly.
Everyone around was looking at the two, out of place, brightly coloured hair Yankees as they contrasted with the surroundings. Ryosuke was less absurd here in comparison to Wataru because he seemed to have more experience with these things, looking more comfortable and at ease in the store, always buying his girl friends fancy gifts.
After all, who knows how many girls Ryosuke dated.


Yet, somehow, it was the first time Wataru had ever spotted Ryosuke actually buying a gift for white day. So maybe it was all a cool façade, as Ryosuke had once mentioned. He was the serious relationship type under the ultimate player.

On top of that, probably Ryosuke would be able to offer Wataru some advice. Yes, that would be good, thought Wataru. He desperately needed advice due to his lack of experience and he was on a level lower than being clueless with these things.

A complete dating baka.

But, Wataru didn’t want to admit that he was here for the same purpose. He didn’t want to look like a love sick puppy, willing to do anything for a girl, to the extent of lowering his yankee-like filled pride and buying a gift disregarding his image. It wasn’t because he didn’t like Ryosuke or anything. Wataru was probably most relieved that it was Ryosuke who had saw him compared to the rest of the team.

He couldn’t imagine if it was Kaneko that had seen him because he knew that glasses wearing weirdo would spread the news, telling everyone else, making fun of him non-stop.


It was just too embarrassing to admit why he was here.

[Tsukimori Ryosuke]

OOC: WARRGHHH! WATARU IS SO CUTE!!!!

Ryosuke dipped down for a moment helping Wataru up. That guy had some strength, Ryosuke couldn't deny. He'd only tugged on his arm--presumably on purpose too, judging by just how he'd done it, but he was like a dead weight, even for being so skinny. No wonder he kicked butt so easily.

Wataru stuck out his tongue. “That….that was an accident anyways!”

Ryosuke was giving him the sort of, Ah hah, yeah sure-type look, but watching his friend closely, he could see Wataru was at least a little annoyed. He was avoiding Ryosuke's gaze, and more than that, he'd started cursing the barrel he'd taken down.

The blonde Yankee considered asking him if anything was up, but the other boy was quick to harp on his question about White Day.

“White day? What white day? HAH? I don’t know what you’re talking about. You-You’re wrong!”

Wataru was such a bad liar. Ryosuke found himself rolling his eyes. He had the feeling that Wataru had come to the place thinking he'd be on his own, thinking he wouldn't run into anyone, leastways not a friend like Ryosuke. More than that, Ryosuke was positive the red-haired Yankee was here for one girl, and one girl only. The ever-sweet Mari-chan.
Ryosuke really admired Wataru's determination with the gymnast girl. She had obvious eyes for Hino, yet Wataru had made it a point to like her and only her. At least, in Ryosuke's eyes it seemed that way. He hadn't seen Wataru look at another girl ever since he'd laid eyes on Mari-chan. And Ryosuke couldn't half blame the guy. Mari-chan wasn't only pretty, she was super sweet too. It was hard to find girls like that.

Anyway, Ryosuke got the impression Kaoru could be super sweet too. He'd just somehow landed himself on her bad side. His issue now was figuring out how to somehow maneuver himself onto her good one, if such a thing was even possible after their past meetings.

"So…what are you doing here?” Wataru seemed to have better composed himself now, and Ryosuke smiled. He felt a little better seeing that the red-haired Yankee wasn't still so annoyed.

Ryosuke smirked. "You got me! Here for White Day, of course. But then again, what else would I be doing here?" He jerked a thumb back over his shoulder in the direction of the girly shop. "I might like girls, but it doesn't mean I like prancing around frilly pink shops. I'm guessing you came here for the same reason, even if you're gonna deny it."

“Whose the lucky girl this time?”

Hearing the question, Ryosuke got this strange sense of deja vu inside, like he'd been asked the same words many times before. And he had, hadn't he? Just....hearing them coming from Wataru, his best friend, at this stage in his life, he felt kind of lost. He really was a player. Whose the lucky girl this time....how many "lucky" girls had there been? He could remember being with 8 at a time before....

Ryosuke decided he didn't want to....mention Kaoru to Wataru. Not just yet. Instead, he forced a laugh and waved his hand. "Which one?"

Not bad. Though, it probably wasn't a good thing that he was becoming decent at lying.

"So what are you trying to get her? Do you have anything in mind? Otherwise I can probably help."

[Azuma Wataru]

ooc: omg, i just love them so much! <33 Both of them are adorable!!


“So…what are you doing here?” Wataru knew that Ryosuke was here for white day aswell. It was more than obvious.

Ryosuke smirked. "You got me! Here for White Day, of course. But then again, what else would I be doing here?" He jerked a thumb back over his shoulder in the direction of the girly shop.

Wataru unintentionally grimaced a little as Ryosuke answered his question amazingly straightforwardly, not attempting to deny the reason he was here. Unlike the way Wataru was behaving.

"I might like girls, but it doesn't mean I like prancing around frilly pink shops. I'm guessing you came here for the same reason, even if you're gonna deny it."

For some random reason, the way Ryosuke said the words ‘prancing around’ made Wataru think of the most utterly irregular imagination. Wataru had the image of his blonde hair friend wearing a frilly ballerina-like dress, dancing around as if on a show, holding a gift that he would plan to give the girl of his dreams. Serene music would escort each of his dance moves, though somewhat clumsy, Wataru’s imagination decided Ryosuke would be a fine dancer in the ballet category. Without a doubt, the dress would be pink.

The amount of self control Wataru needed to refrain himself from laughter was hardly bearable, thus leading him to ask the question, “Whose the lucky girl this time?”

There seemed to be a slight pause before Ryosuke offered a casual wave and laughed as he answered. Had there actually been a slight hesitation before he gave his answer or was Wataru’s mind playing tricks on him again?

“Yeh, which one? Hmmmm do I know her?” Wataru was curious as he shoulder butted Ryosuke. Sometimes, he just didn’t know when to stop prying on other’s people’s privacy. If he wanted to know something, then he would annoy the heck out of the other person just to find the correct answer, regardless of how annoying he could get.

"So what are you trying to get her? Do you have anything in mind? Otherwise I can probably help."

Oh wow, Wataru had never actually expected that from Ryosuke. He had offered to help him even before the red head had asked. It wasn’t that much of a surprise, but considering the situation Wataru was in, he was more than thankful.

“Ahh….that’s the real problem! I’m completely lost!” Wataru frowned slightly as he sighed. This was ten times harder than being a yankee and fighting around. Because all that requires was punching and kicking, while thinking was not that highly required. Well, not thinking was not needed for these kind of things involving love and all. It was more like which way to punch and how high he was going to kick or whose face he felt like punching next.

“This is way harde-“ Then Wataru stopped talking and looked at Ryosuke with a half blank, half surprised face.

Crap

He had completely lost his battle in trying to hide the reason he was here, giving into to the gratified feeling when Ryosuke decided to help him in finding a gift. Right now, he was feeling even more embarrassed. All that work had been for nothing and he could not believe the way he let his guard down.

“Ah man!” He ran his hand through the back of his hair a couple of times, ruffling and messing it up unknowingly, slightly frustrated at what had just happened.

“So are you going to help me or what?” Wataru gave a slight smile to Ryosuke. It was too late to pretend anything else already, so he decided to just come out clean with his intentions.

“Ryosuke, you better choose a great present or I’ll smack ya!” Then, he nudged Ryosuke, trying to make him enter the shop first before adding “You get in there first!” To Wataru, he thought that at least someone else entering would be less embarrassing.

The ones that go first in battle die first ne?

That was his theory from watching the ancient Japanese movies during the ancient eras that featured many war battles. He always noticed how the soldiers that fought in the front battle line fell dead before the others who served as back up. Those things also happened frequently in yakuza gun wars. Whoever stood at the very front gets shot within an instant.

So this time, even if it is his battle for love, he didn’t want to be the one that dies that early into the fight.

At least not yet. It was too early for any deaths.

[Tsukimori Ryosuke]

OOC: I have to agree. XD They're both such cuties! XDDD I'm sorry this post isn't so hot! >_< My writing looks so cruddy!

“Yeh, which one? Hmmmm do I know her?” Wataru shoulder-butted Ryosuke, and the blonde Yankee feigned being in pain, scrunching up his face and narrowing his eyes at Wataru before quickly resorting to his usual sort of straightforward expression and shrugging. Wataru was the one person who at least had the ability to still make him laugh, even despite the emo thoughts he'd recently kept bottled up inside.

It didn't mean he was going to tell Wataru the whole truth--if he could ever even bring himself tell Wataru this secret of his--but he wasn't going to lie about things either. He just had to hope the other Yankee didn't ask too many questions.

"I don't know." Ryosuke shrugged. "Do you? I don't know if I've introduced you....." Feeling a sense of discomfort around one of his closest friends with this topic, Ryosuke immediately opted to change it. Maybe now was one time when he didn't want Kaoru on his mind. He wanted to just hang out with the guys again, not give a damn about anything. That was when he made his offer to help Wataru out.

“Ahh….that’s the real problem! I’m completely lost!”

Ryosuke nodded, watching his poor, lost friend frowning, though he was secretly glad the change of topic had panned out.

“This is way harde-“

Wataru broke off suddenly, his face caught between two rather interesting extremes. Ryosuke recognized the look as one which suggested Wataru had felt like he'd spoken out of turn. Though in this case, it had probably been only for himself. In fact, Ryosuke would have wondered why the other was so hesitant to talk about his concerns about Mari on White Day, if he didn't already know Wataru seemed eager to avoid bothering the others about it. And if Ryosuke himself didn't have something of a similar situation of his own now. He actually missed buying a bunch of girls gifts....at least then, even though he tried to pick out nice things, he could keep it all simple. Now he had to worry about picking out the right thing, about whether or not Kaoru would accept it....

“Ah man!” Wataru looked frustrated before he adopted a reluctant, maybe embarrassed, smile. “So are you going to help me or what?”

"Seriously?" Ryosuke had to laugh. "Don't feel so down about it. I'm willing to help you out, you know that. And besides, I don't think it's even a bad thing you like Mari. No point in hiding it anyway. Everyone knows."

“Ryosuke, you better choose a great present or I’ll smack ya!”

Ryosuke rolled his eyes, though he allowed himself to be ushered forward by the redhead anyway. Wataru really didn't want to be seen in the store. And he understood it. He remembered the first time they'd gotten their Tumbling T-shirts. Wataru had only agreed on the pink color after Mari had expressed just how good it looked on him.

Unfortunately, Mari wasn't around to tell Wataru that she thought he'd looked fantastic in the shop itself.

"You get in there first!”

Ryosuke grinned. "It'd be a pleasure, though why you're looking so bitter about it..." He laughed, and waved a hand nonchalantly. "Seriously, come on, it's no problem." Truth be told, he hadn't paid any of the other shoppers too much mind, coming in, even if he'd been at least partially aware of people staring. People tended to stare when you were a Yankee, that's all there was to it.

"So....what do you think she likes? I mean, when you think of her, what does she remind you of?" Ryosuke paused. "Not to answer my own question, but I guess when I think of Mari or Aoi or any of the gymnastics girls, I think of them as being kind of serious, determined to win with, you know, with Baba Lady as their coach. But then off from practice, they're cute too, right? Sweet! So I feel like someone like Mari would like something simple but cute."

He was thinking of the jewelry he'd seen again, the bracelet he was considering picking out for Kaoru, and wondered if maybe he should avoid giving Wataru exactly his own advice. It might be kind of embarrassing if they gave their favorite girls the same gift.

"Anyway, what I said before....what do you want to give her? Something just cute? Something cute but practical, like maybe a watch or purse or something?"

[Azuma Wataru]

“Yeh, which one? Hmmmm do I know her?” Wataru was curious as he shoulder butted Ryosuke. Sometimes, he just didn’t know when to stop prying on other’s people’s privacy.

"I don't know." Ryosuke shrugged. "Do you? I don't know if I've introduced you....." Feeling a sense of discomfort around one of his closest friends with this topic, Ryosuke immediately opted to change it.

Ryosuke appeared to not really care about giving Wataru a definite answer. Maybe he was really serious about this girl and was not ready to confide in him just yet.

“I don’t know. Oh well!” Wataru answered Ryosuke back casually. He also didn’t want to be such a naggy person and put his friend in such a confronting position. Wataru thought he had already pestered Ryosuke enough about his current interest. He finally decided to drop that subject.

...

“Ah man!” He ran his hand through the back of his hair a couple of times, ruffling and messing it up unknowingly, slightly frustrated at what had just happened.

“So are you going to help me or what?” Wataru gave a slight smile to Ryosuke. It was too late to pretend anything else already, so he decided to just come out clean with his intentions.

"Seriously?" Ryosuke had to laugh. "Don't feel so down about it. I'm willing to help you out, you know that. And besides, I don't think it's even a bad thing you like Mari. No point in hiding it anyway. Everyone knows."

Wataru grit his teeth slightlyat what Ryosuke just said. He was right. It was always more than obvious that the rest of the team saw through Wataru and his love for Mari-chan. Wataru actually didn’t know himself what made him fall for her so badly, but whatever magic spell she casted on him, it was working very effectively. He had never felt this was towards any other girl before, so Wataru couldn’t help being so inexperienced in romantic relationships, and being a little bit paranoid about it.

“Ryosuke, you better choose a great present or I’ll smack ya!” Then, he nudged Ryosuke, trying to make him enter the shop first before adding “You get in there first!” To Wataru, he thought that at least someone else entering would be less embarrassing.

Ryosuke grinned. "It'd be a pleasure, though why you're looking so bitter about it..." He laughed, and waved a hand nonchalantly.

How could Wataru not be bitter about it? He was probably one of the ‘manliest’ in the team and without a doubt, he hated to be seen as the weaker person. But for some odd reason, Wataru saw that buying a present for a girl in a pink store made him seem weak and not very masculine.

"Seriously, come on, it's no problem."

Somehow, Ryosuke had confidently reassured Wataru that it would be alright and it really would be no problem.

"So....what do you think she likes? I mean, when you think of her, what does she remind you of?" Ryosuke paused.

“Ummm…what does she like…. Actually ….I’m not sure at all..” Wataru bit his lip as he felt a little self ashamed, not knowing the interests of the girl he likes. All he knew was that she was passionate about rhythmic gymnastics.

"Not to answer my own question, but I guess when I think of Mari or Aoi or any of the gymnastics girls, I think of them as being kind of serious, determined to win with, you know, with Baba Lady as their coach. But then off from practice, they're cute too, right? Sweet! So I feel like someone like Mari would like something simple but cute."

“Ah! You’re right! I feel that way too!” Wataru replied enthusiastically, with a smile lighting upon his face. He was so glad that Ryosuke had tagged along and that he felt a similar way towards the gymnast girls and what they seemed to like. Ryosuke had voiced his thoughts and opinions for Wataru.

"Anyway, what I said before....what do you want to give her? Something just cute? Something cute but practical, like maybe a watch or purse or something?"

“Well..I think Mari-chan likes pink! Remember the T-shirt we got?” Wataru thought back at how she complimented on the colour, bringing a grin forming across his face. “She suits it well too.”

He looked around the store, glancing at what was pink. There was just too many choices and he felt as though his head was spinning around, confusing his view on the jewelry.

Blinking his eyes hard and rubbing them, Wataru managed to spot a pink necklace. Next to it placed a matching pair of earrings. Slowly, he started to walk towards it, pointing at the pink jewelry set.

“That…” He said to Ryosuke.
“What do you think?” Wataru was lifting the necklace up now with his right hand.

It was a silver chain, glistening ever so slightly. Gently hanging off it was a pendant, made from a pink stone. The stone had a milky pink swirl and was shaped like a rounded star.

[Tsukimori Ryosuke]

“Ah! You’re right! I feel that way too!” Wataru had a huge grin on his face now, which in turn made Ryosuke smile. He wouldn't say it out loud, but he actually felt quite good giving his friend some advice and seeing that even if it hadn't been exactly helpful in the way of determining a gift as of now, it had at least given Wataru some sense of confidence. It had always amazed Ryosuke how his red-haired friend was so bold on every battlefield but the love one.

Ryosuke cleared his throat. "Anyway, what I said before....what do you want to give her? Something just cute? Something cute but practical, like maybe a watch or purse or something?"

“Well..I think Mari-chan likes pink! Remember the T-shirt we got?” A sort of calmed look crossed Wataru's face--Ryosuke imagined he was remembering that moment when the pretty girl told him how good pink looked on him--and finally he seemed to come out of his reverie. She suits it well too.”

Ryosuke burst out laughing. "Just because you answered it that quickly, I think that's a given. I remember her saying that too, anyway.....So let's look for something pink."

Not too hard to do in this place, he couldn't help thinking, giving the store worker behind the counter a quick smile as she looked his way, her scrunched up face betraying some of her concern. At the look, Ryosuke shrugged. He knew one couldn't impress everyone, and the sight of two Yankees in a girl's frilly, knick-knack shop probably didn't look all that comforting anyway. Ryosuke was reminded of the phrase, Bulls in a china shop.

Pivoting on the spot, the blonde Yankee found Wataru glancing madly around the shop for something pink for Mari-chan. Truth be told, there were plenty of things to choose from in that color. There just.....wasn't anything that really stood out. Not to Ryosuke, at least, from what he was looking at. Pink watches, pink hairpieces, pink little hand-sewn bags with candies inside. Everything was really cute and feminine, but they were things that would probably just feel commonplace to the girl receiving them.

Then Ryosuke saw his friend moving in a certain direction, a determined look on his face. He moved quickly to his side.

“That…” Wataru seemed to be aware that Ryosuke had returned, though his attention was devoted to the piece of jewelry in his hands. It was a pretty thing, one of the more special objects in sight. A silver chain with a very intriguing-looking pendant. Certainly something Ryosuke thought Mari-chan would like. It was unique, but in a very gentle, sort of comfortable and special way.

“What do you think?”

Ryosuke smiled. "I think that's perfect. All you have left to do is decorate it, maybe put sparkles in the wrapping or something, and then give it. And you have to give it. No asking me or Nippori to do it, yeah?" He hesitated for a moment, then laughed. "Wow....you figured out your gift for Mari-chan even before I figured out mine for Ka--"

Ryosuke clapped his mouth shut only just in time. "Ka-Kazuko and her friends." He swallowed the lump that had settled in his throat and forced the smile back onto his face. "I guess I can just stick to simple things in that case, anyway. I don't want to make one feel more special than the others...."

Now that he thought about it, Ryosuke realized he couldn't finish doing his shopping for Kaoru. Not with Wataru around. His best friend would know there was something up if he was picking out one very special gift over a few more simple ones. Well, so much for helping Wataru get his gift........now he had to forgo his own! Anyway, he was just grateful his best friend had some peace of mind....

"So, uh.......are you going to go pay for that? I can do my shopping really quickly, I think...."

Ryosuke had suddenly hatched a plan. Maybe he could get his intended gift for Kaoru and say it was for his little sister instead. He'd still have to get Naomi's gift at some point as well, but that would be easier to manage than the one for Kaoru, he expected. He was positive about what his little sis would like, whereas the Washizu girl.........she was a mystery he hadn't yet solved.

[OOC: I almost feel like it would be sooooooo nice for them to go out eating together after this or something! And we can make something happen! What about you?]