mikodere | IC Inbox for Recollé

[ He thinks she's pretty, but everyone does. She knows it's not enough to make people stay. So she smiles. It's the least she could do for an honest compliment from someone so shy. ]

My hobbies?

[ She knows what he said. She's just stalling. Among her hobbies, she has a few mainstays. ]

I like basketball, swimming, collecting those little antiques like I'm Ariel from The Little Mermaid... and reading! Do you know the Prince of Cats? I like that one. Yato does, too. You should ask him about it.

So you are the sporty one. You part of your school's basketball team? [He lightly chuckles at the mention of Ariel.] That's a cute hobby. Just make sure you don't brush your hair with a fork like she does.

[Yato's name causes him to visibly cringe.]

I'd rather not ask him about it. But no I haven't heard of it! The title sounds interesting. [Because he likes cats.] What's it about?

[ sweats nervously ]

Ahhh, that's a surprise! [ It's fantasy YA lit crossed with standard light novel fare. Embarrassing. ] There's a cat... Anyway, you have to read it to find out.

As for clubs, I... [ She suddenly looks smaller. ] don't have any.

Okay, I'll check it out and let you know when I do. [A+ description because it's already caught his interest. He'll read anything with a cat.]

[Oh no. Did he say the wrong thing? Quick, think of something, Mikoto! He'd feel terrible if he made her feel bad.]Well, when I was in school I used to claim that I was part of the "go home" club. I wasn't interested in joining anything.

[None the less... he was still wanted to see her play sports in action. Even if sports was never his thing, he wanted to see her having fun.]

I'd like to see you play basketball, though. How good are you?

[ Let her know what you think of Prince Nekosuke and Chizuru's romance, Mikorin...

And, ah. Her closest friends aren't sporty people, so this is new. Why does he want to watch her play? Oh god, she better make it good. Does she have sexy basketball clothes? why is she like this ]

Um, I can play alright... Don't laugh if I mess up.

[He sure will..... he'll be looking forward to giving her his opinion.]

Don't worry, I promise I won't! You have my word. Besides, I already know for a fact you are much better than I am.

[Mikoto is excellent... at being terrible in sports!!!]

Um, aren't you selling yourself short?

[ He's tall...!? Does that count for something? ]

Just, trust me on this one.

[There was a reason why he was always the last one to get picked in PE whenver they would play sports.]

Anyways, I've been meaning to ask you this. [Let's see... they talked about hobbies. Since she was here, minds well ask her some more questions to get to know her!] You're from Japan, right? How long have you lived here in Recollé?

Around eight years. My dad was invited to work at the hospital.

[ That's a lie. There's a distant look in her eyes. Her smile is smaller. ]

Adjusting was hard, but... Well, it's still a challenge. [ but before this gets depressing: ] I haven't forgotten my Japanese, if you're curious!

[As he's listening to Yuuko speak, he takes notice of the distant expression in her eye.]

Yeah, over here is a lot different compared to Japan. [There's a brief pause before he speaks.] This will probably sound a bit weird since we just met... but if there's ever anything I can do for you... I-I'm here. While I do miss the home country, I've been here for so long that I've gotten used to it.

[Suddenly, he starts to grin.] If you'd like, maybe we can speak in Japanese together one day? Especially if we don't want people to hear what we are saying.

[ Yuuko's observant. She knows he's shy. Yet here he is, stammering his way through his offer. An attempt to reach out to her. Something people are often too afraid to do, be it out of a feeling of unworthiness or a desire to stay out of trouble. He's not the smoothest talker, but his honesty endears her like no other. It's different from Anya's innocent frankness or Nobu's harsh truths. His is one that he's only able to express in spite—or because—of his kind heart.

It's cute.

In Japanese, she answers him with a bright smile. ]

Then once again, I'll be in your care. [ She chuckles. ] It's like we're sharing secrets. Sounds fun.

[His promise that he made to her back at the Founder's Day festival was ... accidental? But thinking back on it, would he have made such a bold promise if he didn't mean it? The more he spoke to her, the more he felt determined to make sure that she was taken care of.

Even if he continued to make himself look like a fool, or sound like a bumbling idiot. Despite just meeting her, he was going to do his best and keep up with that promise. A bright smile of his own forms on his lips when he hears the Japanese and begins to speak in Japanese as well.] Y-Yeah... you can count on me.

It is! If we don't want anyone listening on our conversation we can speak like this. It's uh, kind of exciting in it's own way.

[ Honestly, she's waiting for him to take his promise back. He hasn't yet, but it was so random, so accidental... It makes so much more sense if he just stopped caring about her. But as long as he still does, she chuckles. ]

The way you speak like this is cute, too. Although the girls here can't understand a word, I'm certain you could charm them nevertheless.

[ Her Japanese is more polite. More refined. ]

You think so? Maybe it's the charm of being a foreigner that will attract them.

[He jokingly sends a wink her direction. But then he feels dumb immediately so he's instantly regretting it.]

I could say the same thing to you about charming people over. Your Japanese is really nice to listen to. It's like a refined tone when you speak.

[ She deadeyes

and laughs. And lifts his chin ever so slightly with a finger. Oh, boy. ]

Are you trying to be smooth now that you've embarrassed yourself?

[OH BOY IS RIGHT.

When he feels her finger against his chin, he could feel a chill run up his spine, despite his heated face.]

H-Hey...

[Now he's making the mistake of looking straight into her eyes because now he can't look away. Something about them was mesmerizing. If someone were to walk into the shop, this would look so bad.]

W-Well [TRY TO RECOVER MIKORIN] I-I'm sure my embarrasing side has it's charm points too!!

It does.

[ Yuuko replies without hesitation and lets the words hang, waiting for them to sink in. She's sure he said that without any real conviction, but she isn't pulling any stops when her prey is dangling right in front of her.

Ah, did she say prey? No, it's a little more complicated that that. ]

I hope you don't show it to just anybody.

[ She eases up, putting some space between them. He's probably been asking for that ever since she stepped into the shop. ]

[Ouch. Well, at least he could sort of take that as a compliment? Maybe. The lack of hesistation her words was quite shocking.]

As dumb as this is going to sound... I don't, because well... [He nervously laughs.] It's embarrassing and pretty uncool. But...

[Oh thank goodness. He lets out a sigh of relief when she eases up, as much as he liked talking to her, he wasn't sure if his heart would be able to handle the finger to his chin.]

I'm uh... flattered that you think it has it's charm points. No one has ever said that to me before.

[ A chuckle. ]

Then I hope I'll get to take many of your firsts. I have a lot of firsts to give... [ And just before he gets any ideas— ] Ah, I wonder who I'll give them to!

[He narrows his eyes at her.]

Now you just sound like a thief or something. [Mikoto tilts his head at that.] Oh? You got someone special in your mind?

[It wouldn't be surprising. Yuuko is pretty, he was certain that there was someone out there who would find her attractive and charming.]

[ why is he so dumb

It's endearing that he doesn't think it's him, though. She only smiles, careful not to give too much away. ]

No, no one in particular. I'm waiting for someone who'll really get my hopes up.

[ In a way, it's true. The moment she stops second guessing this unexplainable attraction to Mikoto is the time she'll have irrevocably fallen for him. ]

But don't you think it's a bad idea to keep a thief around? Before you know it, I might steal something right under your nose! [ She mimes a clawing action, baring her teeth a bit as she playfully bites the air. ] Like Cat's Eye.

[because he's from a slice of life manga where literally everyone is dumb.]

I hope that you can find that person that makes you happy. [He smiles at her.] I'm sure there will be someone out there that will be head over heels for you.

What? You're not planning on stealing my flowers or my cat, are you? [Watching Yuuko's cat like actions made Mikoto's heart melt from how totally and completely adorable that was. His cheeks were turning pink, but he was also laughing.] If you do something like that, you are going to steal my heart!

[He said it so casually that for once, it wasn't like his usual dumb pick up lines.]

[ He laughs, and Yuuko can pinpoint the exact moment her heart skips a beat.

Her cheer then settles into a quiet hope. He's unfair when he twists her heart with clueless words like his, getting her hopes up for something that might not even happen. It would be nice if someone could fall for her. If anyone could love someone like her... ]

Who knows.

[ She chuckles. ]

I guess you'll have to keep your guard up.

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