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Summer – The most pleasant part of the year – In Tomobiki's public park, the joy of summer was savored by people of all ages. Kids were playing with water and running around, while adults were chatting on a nearby bench. A few couples had spread out checkered blankets, enjoying picnics under the shade of leafy trees, the scent of freshly cut grass and blooming flowers mingling in the air. Under one of the sprawling trees, Ataru Moroboshi lay stretched out on a small, grassy hill—his favorite spot to take breaks during his girl-hunts. The tree's broad canopy provided dappled shade, casting playful patterns on his relaxed face. With one hand tucked behind his head and his eyes gently closed, he appeared utterly at peace. But it seemed like the shade of the tree wasn't the only thing that looked over him.
Summer is great... No school to worry about, most of the time. A good excuse to hit the beach. And most of all, women are showing more skin than ever! Ataru, still sleeping deeply, was enjoying his dreams, showing off all of his summer fantasies. He was imagining Sakura in a swimsuit and Ran wearing shorts. The heat really was a man's best friend. Hehehe, Shinobu... this skirt looks great on you... He turned around again. The young man's sleep was seemingly really agitated.
On all accounts, it was a strange scene, and the passerby easily noticed the young man randomly giggling while sleeping. – It seemed like gossipers about the Moroboshi's son had some new material. And then, the strangest part was that girl. Next to him, wearing nothing but a tiger-striped bikini and kneeling by his side, Lum had a serene expression, her delicate fingers busy arranging a variety of wildflowers. The vibrant blooms of daisies, lilies, and poppies formed a colorful contrast against the rich green grass. She carefully wove the stems together, creating a large, intricate flower crown, the soft petals brushing against her hands as she worked. Lum was really enjoying this small moment. Together, only the two of them were hanging out at the park. That was sort of romantic! Every time her darling would turn or giggle in his sleep, she couldn't help but look at him for a bit. Smiling. Darling look so peaceful... Seeing him like that, the thoughts of placing his head on her laps—something he seemingly enjoyed—came again and again. But she knew it wasn't a good idea.
Still deep in sleep, Ataru's dream was continuing, as the girls he lusted after appeared again and again, always wearing revealing clothes. His excitement was so great, he started sleep-talking, Mrs. Sakura...Shinobu... Hearing what her husband was dreaming about, Lum clenched her flower collar hard. But she relaxed her shoulder instantly. It was just a dream after all...
Ran..Shinobu...Oyuki.. The girls were appearing again and again. And then, instantly, a new face appeared. She wasn't wearing much either, just a bikini... But it didn't make him excited at all, on the contrary. He was used to this one. Lum... Hearing her name, she looked back at him, smiling. Lum.. Lum Again and again, she appeared. It seemed like she had taken over the other girls. Instead of his harem and lots of beautiful women, it was just Lum, striking multiple poses and getting closer and closer. It was like a nightmare. The last thing he saw was Lum's close-up face peeking her tongue at him, and then the dreamy Lum went for a kiss.
"AAAAH! LUM!" He jumped out of his sleeping state, breathing heavily.
"Darling! It was just a bad dream! Are you okay?" Worried, Lum grabbed him by the shoulder, trying to reassure him by massaging them lightly.
He brushed her hand off softly, sighing. "I'm fine I'm fine, thanks Lu-" He looked back. He met the Oni face-to-face. "LUM?! What's your deal? What are you doing here?" He yelled angrily, realizing the issue. He didn't invite her; today was supposed to be a girl-hunting escapade.
"You looked so lonely, so I thought I'd join you! It's natural for a wife to look over her husband." She argued, giving him a big smile. "It's a good day for a date." She added without a second thought.
Ataru frowned upon hearing those words. "D-date? Are you insane? When did I agree to that?" He yelled, crawling away.
"Don't sweat the small details, Darling!" She closed the gap and grabbed his arm, beaming. "It's destiny we met there!"
She probably followed me. What a pain! "I'm not dating you, end of story." Ataru asserted, successfully shaking her off his arm.
"Why not? You have nothing better to do!" She pouted, facing him.
He smirked. "Of course I do, I have big plans for today!" He smirked. "Asking out every girl in this park!" Ataru proudly declared.
"Darling!" Lum couldn't hide her slight anger anymore. Preferring doing nothing over dating her was a thing. But planning on cheating on her so openly... "You...you..." Electricity started to build up in her body. Ataru tried to crawl away, but he knew there was no way. "Darling...I accept." The electricity instantly vanished, and a big smile appeared on her face.
"You what?" Ataru turned around and looked straight at her, cnfusion in his tone.
"I accept going out with you!" She tilted her head with a smile.
"What? I'm not dating you today, Lum, I already told y-" He was interrupted by the Oni.
"I'm a girl, and I'm in the park. And you said you'd ask out every girl in it, so I accept!" She explained with a devilish grin, hugging him from behind. "No need to waste time with the others, Darling!"
Ataru's got chills hearing this, imagining himself asking out Lum like he does other girls. "Really funny, Lum!" He couldn't really argue with her logic, she was a pretty girl, nice curves and all... But it felt weird. Ignoring the thought, Ataru shook around to make her fall, but since the Oni could fly, there was nothing he could really do. "Cut it out! You're annoying!"
"Not until you admit we're on a date!"
"Never!" He struggled again. He was now running in a circle.
"Darling!"
As his last resort, Ataru stopped and placed his hand on Lum's arms, tightly enticed around his neck. "Now, Lum, don't act like a kid." He sat down again, much to Lum's confusion.
"You're giving up?" Lum pondered, her husband usually had more of a fighting spirit...
"Let's resolve that like adults, Lum." He nodded. "Sit here, let's talk about it." He closed his eyes, in a somber tone.
Lum tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. "If you run away, I won't forgive you, Darling." She warned him as she loosened her grip and floated to the spot where he pointed. Sitting and facing him.
Ataru clenched his fist and looked directly at Lum, his eyes burning with determination. Was he really so set on NOT dating her? "Let's play a game to decide our fate."
Lum blinked at him, surprised. "A game? Like tag?" She clapped her hands in excitement. "Oh, Darling, you're using Oni culture. You're so sweet!" She didn't hug him, but her body vibrated with joy.
"Idiot!" Ataru snapped, then cleared his throat to regain his composure. "Humans use games to make decisions too!" he argued. He couldn't deny that their original game of tag had inspired him. Despite the pain and exhaustion, it was the start of something new in his life. Maybe this game could recapture that magic, and it might be easier for Lum to accept defeat. And if he lost... well, he couldn't let that happen." And if he loses, well, he shouldn't. "Anyway, I'm proposing a game of hide and seek."
"Hide and seek...?" Lum tilted her head, ending her excitement. "Are you sure, Darling?" She was hoping for a game where they'd need to be together, hide and seek meant they'd be separated for a while.
"Of course!" He stood up confidently. "You hide wherever you want in the park, and if I find you in under 10 minutes, then you go home and leave me alone for today!" He grinned, crossing his arm and nodding.
"And if I win, we'll spend the rest of the day dating, right?" She stood up, leaning toward him.
Ataru was still thinking about the Lum-free girl hunt, so he took a bit before replying. "Ah.. yeah, sure, whatever." As if! I've spent countless hours in this park, there's no way she'll escape me! He chuckled
"Alright! I'll go hide then!" Lum exclaimed, clapping her hands. As she was about to fly off, Ataru grabbed her arm, surprising her.
"Wait a minute!" Ataru warned her. "Don't use your power, that's cheating! And stay in the park!" Lum's a slowpoke! I'll find her quickly and be done with it.
"Mph, fine!" She pouted but couldn't really argue. It was a bit unfair. "Don't peek now, Darling!" She teased. I'll just fly when he's not looking. Sorry, Darling, it's for your own good!
"I don't need that to find you!" He yelled as he turned toward the tree and started to count, closing his eyes.
Mmmh... where should I hide? Lum ran, knowing that finding a good hiding spot would be no easy task. Her husband knew her too well. She was used to searching for him, but now she had to evade him. She needed to pick a spot he would never expect. Entering the mind of her Darling... he'd check the bushes first; they were his favorite hiding spot. She nodded to herself. It felt strange to run away from him. Ever since they met, she wanted nothing more than to be close to him, and now she had to hide. For once, she had to be the one fleeing. Looking up toward the trees, thinking they may be a good spot, Lum didn't take the time to look in front of her.. and suddenly found herself colliding with a familiar face.
"Miss Lum?!" He yelled. "W-w-what a coincidence, meeting you here!" He adjusted his glasses as a way to save the little bit of confidence he had left. "It must be destiny."
Lum's eyes twitched around, agonizingly waiting for him to stop talking so she could excuse herself. "I'm sorry, Megane, I'm in a hurry, I can't let Darling find me!" She looked back worrisomely. "See you lat-" She tried to wave with a smile.
In a vain attempt to escape, Lum decided to simply go the other way, but Megane once again blocked her path. "Running away from that moron, are you, Miss Lum?" She ran directly into my chest! It's what I've been dreaming of every night! He laughed.
"Don't call my Darling a moron!" She warned him with an angry stare. But it quickly evaporated as fright appeared on her face once again. "I need to hide now! So please let me pass!"
Ignoring Lum blatantly still defending him, Megane grabbed her arm. "Miss Lum." He bowed his head, a hand on his chest. "As the leader of the Lum Stormtroopers, I will not allow this scum to terrorize you for one more second." He confessed. Full of determination, Megane let go of her arm and placed his hand on his chest. And then. "ATARU!" He shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Don't shoot! He's going to find us!" Lum cried, completely panicked.
"Have no fear, Miss Lum! I'll face the monster head-on. No need to run away anymore!" Megane proudly replied, readjusting his glasses with a smirk. "ATARU! YOU COWARD! SHOW YOURSELF!" He shouted again to prove his conviction.
"Shhhhhh" Lum placed a finger in front of his mouth, making the teenager blush. "If Darling finds me... then... our date..." Lum closed her eyes, whispering.
Further in the park, Ataru had just finished counting. With his hands behind his head, he was walking more or less in the same direction as Lum's. "She's slow, I'm sure I'll find her around in a bush or something." He wasn't worried at all, as much as he hated to admit it, he knew her too well. And he was well aware she may have still used her powers to 'climb' a tree or something. Slowly, he realized how peculiar it was. He wasn't used to looking for her. Usually, it was the other way around. It was kind of like their game of tag, after all. But comparing the two, it really was different. Instead of rivalry between the two, there was obvious trust. He trusted her not to use her power, and she trusted him to actually play the game. They had no obligation to do so. Passing by some pretty girls, Ataru hesitated for a second. I could just run off now, and go back to girl-hunting. But he quickly remembered what Lum would do to him once they'd met again. And even if he wouldn't admit it, the idea of abandoning Lum like that made his heart clutch. Running away would also mean she'd win, he can't lose against a girl, and even more, not against Lum!
As Ataru was searching in random bushes, asking passersby if they saw the girl with green hair, he heard something he wasn't expecting. "ATARU, YOU COWARD! SHOW YOURSELF!"
"Huh?" Ataru looked back, toward the origin of the sound. "That voice... Megane? What's up with him?" Usually this weirdo would scream Lum's name, not his. Shivers went down Ataru's spine, imagining Megane going insane and lusting over him instead of Lum. Still, the fact that Megane was aware he was in the park was weird. Ataru started running toward the voice, still calling for him and calling his name. If Lum wasn't here, he'd still enjoy beating him up.
"ATARU! WHERE ARE YOU? YOU DOG!" Megane shouted again, having a tight grasp on Lum's arm.
"Megane! Let me go!" Lum begged. Zapping him was out of the question; it would make too much noise, not mentionning the scream of agony the teen would do, Ataru would know she was with Megane, an easy win for him.
"I can't abandon you now, Miss Lum!" Megane assured with solemn in his voice. "Who knows what this idiot will do if he finds you, now." He closed his eyes, flinching just imagining it.
"Megane! You've been looking for me?" Ataru interjected. He was behind them, leaning against a tree, acting as cool as he could.
"Darling!" Lum's face decomposed after hearing his voice and seeing him.
"You suck at this game, Lum!" Ataru teased, walking toward them. "Guess I'll go girl-hunting as..."
"ATARU!" Megane, now red with anger, faced his opponent, still holding Lum's arm tightly. "You've been tormenting Miss Lum for too long, I cannot allow this!" He took a step toward Ataru.
Before he could do much more, though, Lum's sadness turned into anger. Her body ejected electricity, and Megane suffered through all the zapping she wished she could give him earlier. Then she walked slowly toward Ataru.
Content with his easy victory, Ataru had already turned away, as if he knew what could happen if he kept staring at her – this look in her eyes, her air flowing in the wind, succumbing to her charm... feeling the warmth in his stomach... She was like a trap, and he was a cautious mouse. He knew how tempting the cheese was, longing for a taste, sometimes playing with the idea of giving in for just a few moments, but his reason would pull him back, reminding him of the danger... Has he walked, his pace suddenly slowed down, his head slightly turned toward her, ready to her her out, betraying the doubt that, like a shadow, accompanied him with each step
Instead of words, Lum flew as fast as she could toward him and grabbed his shoulder, stopping him from walking away. She slowly placed her head against his back; Then, with the best puppy eyes she had and the cutest voice she could pull off, she started speaking. "Daarling... it was unfair! Give me another chance!" She begged.
Ataru wished he hadn't taken a while before responding, but alas, he was thinking and considering it. Still, his resolve remained firm. He placed his hand over Lum's on his shoulder, pausing for a moment to feel her warmth and the grip of her hand. Then, as if struck by a sudden jolt of reason, he pushed her away. "N-no way!" he stammered, shaking his head. It wasn't just a rejection of Lum, but also a refusal to give in to his own conflicting feelings. "You agreed to my terms. You were unlucky. Too bad!" He smirked. "I'll see you at home, maybe." He exaggerated, hoping to provoke her and avoid dealing with her sadness.
"DARLING!" He really knew how to press her buttons. "DARLING you... you..." Clenching her fist hard, she glared at him. "IDIOT!" In an instant, all the stored-up electricity went directly toward Megane. Ataru almost felt bad for him, but he was already unconscious anyway. No point was there... "Fine, Darling, you're right." For the first time, Lum gave up on getting Ataru's attention. She almost forced him, but she just couldn't. Maybe she wanted to hear him say something, for once he was the one looking for her, so maybe he could continue trying to reach for her. Instead of flying away, she just stayed there, turning away from Ataru, and looking toward the sky, still reluctant about the idea of leaving him. She couldn't hide the slight angry frown she had.
"Lum..." The two were now standing there, turning their backs to each other, not moving. Ataru's mind was certain he wanted to girl-hunt, but he can't just go when she's still standing around. It's fine when she's angry or unaware, but when she's like that... Ack! What the... Why would I stop girl-hunting for Lum's sake? It doesn't concern her! Shaking his head in annoyance. "A..Alright, hurry up home then, Lum... Don't... don't just stand there." He weakly ordered her, still turning his back.
Not impressed, Lum's expression didn't change as she simply stared at the sky, her mind filled with nice thoughts about Ataru changing his mind, so much so that describing them would be a waste and wouldn't give them justice. She turned her head slightly toward him, giving him side eyes. "Why that? It's a nice day, I think I'll stay here." She argued without any intent to change his mind. She was still plotting to make it as hard as possible, though.
Looking down, Ataru's composure cracked. What was she doing? "Do whatever. Just..just don't interfere." He snorted.
"I won't."
"Good!"
And yet, he stood there. Unable to walk away. He was hoping she'd give him a reason to be angry, to yell, anything. But there was nothing of the sort. It felt like time was looping, as if not going on this date was such a wrong choice. Time resetted each time he tried to take a step away. But that wasn't a reason to give in—far from it. As long as he had his resolve, he wouldn't just give in. His pride wouldn't allow it. Taking a deep breath, Ataru gave a last glance toward the stationary Lum. The Oni wasn't moving, staring at the sky. Idiot. He thought, trying once again to get angry at her, to bury this weird feeling in his heart. But he couldn't.
Slowly, he took his first step, his mind in a battle. He had to think about something else and get in the girl-hunting mood. It was his big chance today! In a desperate move, he thought about imitating the Oni, still proof he wasn't winning this fight. He looked up, hoping he'd be able to rearrange his thoughts. But instead, he was surprised by the gray cloud above him. And then, a single cold drop fell on his nose, startling him. It's about to rain?! He glanced up just as the sky opened up, unleashing a sudden downpour. Dark clouds had gathered ominously, turning the bright day into a shadowy twilight. Ataru's usual lack of luck came back, it seemed. The rain quickly intensified, transforming into a relentless cascade that soaked the ground. Droplets pelted down, bouncing off the leaves and splattering into puddles that formed around their feet.
"It-It's raining." Ataru cried. Here goes his girl-hunting escapade. But it wasn't his biggest concern, surprisingly. He instinctively looked back toward Lum, she was still staring up, the only change was her hand now loosely protecting her eyes.
What is she... Confused by her lack of concern for the rain, Ataru decided to ignore it, running past her and taking shelter under a tree. The rain wasn't showing any sign of stopping, far from it, as minutes passed, it was only getting worse.
And yet, Lum wasn't moving a muscle. She was well aware of what was happening. But she didn't really want to move. She knew he was close by, she just wanted a little proof that he cared.She had lost the game, and had to concede, at least a little. Allow her husband to get it out of his system and flirt a bit, not that any other girl would genuinely be interested. But before that, she wanted him to give her his full attention, this rain was the perfect way. She wanted to see his gentle side, the one he's been trying to ide for so long, shine a bit under this rain.
"Lum, you idiot!" All of Lum's thoughts vanished the second she heard his voice, and then, a hand grabbed her arm, pulling him with her. "Do you want to get sick or what?" Ataru yelled as he brought her with him, stopping under the tree again.
"Darling!" A smile drew itself back on her face, staring directly at his eyes. Ataru's eye twitched, and he quickly looked away. "You came to help me!" She lied, playfully testing the water.
"Because you can't do it yourself!" Ataru blurted out, trying to respond quickly and maintain his composure.
"Oh Darling! You're worried!" Lum leaned toward him, smiling.
"Don't be tacky!" Ataru yelled, realizing his wording. "Now my plans are ruined." He lamented, trying to change the subject, his head quickly swaying away from the Oni, still smiling at his recent action, his words had no weight.
"It's fate." Lum solemnly announced, joining her hands together.
A chill went down Ataru's spine. "Don't imitate Cherry!" he yelled, as the Oni simply peeked her tongue out as an answer.
Overwhelmed by the rain, the couple chose silence as they both looked around. The rain's strength took over the area around the tree, now filled with a thick fog of raindrops. And summer has taken over with it.
"It's raining so much..." Lum remarked. "It took over everything, it's like we're the only two left in the world..." She softly added, turning to Ataru and smiling.
Ataru, not getting it at first, simply replied with a similarly soft "Yeah..."
"Isn't it romantic?" She leaned a bit toward him.
Ataru stared back at her for a second, then back at the rain. "How silly." Were the only words he could say. But he didn't try to answer, he knew he would do nothing but lie.
It really wasn't how Ataru was planning to spend his day, stuck under a tree with Lum. I guess it could be worse... The young man reassured himself, thinking about the still unconscious Megane, under the rain. He imagined for a second Megane being stuck with them, or worse, alone with Lum. Then, he wondered who he'd rather be stuck with. Miss Sakura? She'd throw him under the rain without hesitation. Shinobu? She'd uproot the tree when she realize she's stuck with him... Well, we could use it as an umbrella... That's dumb. And then, Lum. As much as she could be violent, she wouldn't throw him in the rain, unless she had a really good reason, but she'd then spend the rest of the day by his side, apologizing and attending to his every need. She seemed pretty happy to be with him at least, so he could oblige for a bit. He'd still pick Miss Sakura, but Lum wasn't bad either.
A bit embarrassed by being completely alone with her, Ataru, doing his best to keep a poker face, sat down, then leaned against the rough bark, his eyes following the ripples forming in the puddles on the ground, ignoring Lum for as long as he could. Next to him, Lum's eyes reflected the dancing raindrops as she followed Ataru, her hair dampened slightly by the stray deoplets, and yet, it didn't matter to her.
However, his might was short-lived, as Ataru couldn't resist stealing a peek. Did she feel joyful or sad? - Daring it, he let his gaze stray and at last, he looked closely at his wife, who was standing next him. He observed the gap between them before he spotted her. It was what he had always yearned for. But at this very moment, when the only person he can be honest with is himself, he came to the realization that he preferred it to be smaller than larger.
"Hey, Lum. You're getting wet." He called her, noticing the droplets passing through and falling on her. "Move a little closer this way." Ataru gestured.
"Darling..." Lum whispered, slowly starting to float and get close to him. As she approached, Ataru's head instinctively turned away, but his body was not moving, allowing Lum to get as close as she wanted, and close she did as the Oni landed against him, her shoulder against his. A big smile was on her face.
Feeling the warmth of her skin against his, Ataru instinctively pulled back, abruptly standing up. Lum's radiant smile faltered for a moment. Without meeting her eyes, Ataru shrugged off his jacket and tossed it to her. The jacket landed softly on her head before slipping down to her shoulders. The oversized garment enveloped her slender frame, the fabric still warm from Ataru's body heat. Lum's smile returned, brighter than before, as she hugged the jacket close, her fingers tracing the edges as if to memorize the feel of it.
"You're so caring, Darling." Lum thanked him, still hugginh the jacket as she put it on. As always, she was only wearing her tiger-stipped bikini, so the warmth of the jacket was really comforting.
"I..I just don't want to catch some alien cold." Ataru weakly argued, having an hard time looking at Lum wearing his own clothes.
Overjoyed, Lum nodded, placing each of her hands on the opposite shoulder. "I'm so happy, Darling's worried about my health!"
"I'm worried about mine!" Ataru countered, sitting back down. He kept his glare away from Lum at all costs.
Smiling, Lum took that as an invitation and grabbed his arm, hugging it tightly.
"Hey! What are yo-"
"I'm still a bit cold!" She said, nudging her head harder against his arm.
Ataru looked at her. Lum, the Oni girl he originally wanted away at all cotst, is now wearing his jacket and hugging his arm as if it were normal, and even worse, it feels right. He was supposed to hate wasting his time doing this instead of girl hunting... but it really did feel fine. "Whatever."
How long did they sit down there, waiting? Who knows. For the both of them, it felt like it was lasting an eternity, but at the same time, they were dreading the end of it. Hidden behind the rain, as endless stray droplets drowned out the rest of the world, the sky had turned a somber gray; the once bright summer day was now cloaked in a curtain of steady rain. Droplets pattered softly against the leaves, creating a soothing symphony that invited a rare moment of introspection for the couple. The rain blurred the world around them, creating a private, intimate space beneath the tree where time seemed to have taken a stop. Ataru and Lum sat close, the gentle rhythm of the rain matching the beating of their hearts.
Their tree wasn't the strongest of shelters either, with some droplets finding their way onto them. On all terms, it was something that should make them upset. And yet, both Ataru and Lum were finding their minds at peace.
.
.
They stayed like that for a while, time passed without them realizing or knowing how much, not that they cared. They weren't noticing the rain slowing down, the summer's bright light shining once again on both of their faces, or the world appearing back around them. Both of their eyes were closed, as if trying to keep the last image going in their minds, hanging on to it. Scared of opening their eyes and confronting the harsh reality that the little world they were spending time on had grew back into their usual one, back to the routine, they'll have to go back to what they promised to do.
They were harshly forced to 'wake up' when a familiar voice shouted at them "ATARU, YOU SCUM!" Megane yelled. He was soaked, if the source was the rain or sweat from running around the park looking for them, nobody knew.
Lum and Ataru opened their eyes instantly, not moving a muscle. Both of them frowned and looked confused. "Wh-what?" Ataru blurted out, blinking a few times to get used to the sunlight again.
"Taking advantage of poor Miss Lum's broken heart under the rain where she can't escape... how dare you?!" Megane screamed, quickly walking toward the sitting couple, starring at him.
"What did Darling do? We were both fine!" Lum interjected, leaning forward but keeping her grip on his arm.
"Miss Lum..." Megane halted his tirade, a tear sliding down his cheek. "I know how hard it is to admit that you made the foolish mistake of falling for someone like him. No need to hide anything from me, Miss Lum."
"What are you talking about?!" Ataru finally snapped, his annoyance breaking through. '"I didn't do anything! Cut it out and go home, Megane!" He stood up abruptly, Lum following him, floating slightly to keep her hold on his arm. The movement sparked an idea in his brain. The best way to make Megane angry... He chuckled to himself.
"Enough lies, Ataru! I can see poor Miss Lum being forced to wear that jacket of yours to hide the evidence." He readjusted his glasses. "I know your pervert's antics, and as a proud member of Lum's stormtroopers, I will not stand for it!"
Lum annoyance became palpable too, she knew her Darling, he could have done something wrong, she knew that. But this time, she knew he didn't. He showed his gentler, kinder side to her, the one he's been trying to act as if never existed. And people were assuming he was doing it out of malice. "Megane! I won't allow you to say stuff like that about my Da-"
"Lum, calm down." Ataru reassured her in a warm tone of voice, placing his free hand on her shoulder and making her turn toward him, facing each other.
"Darling?" Lum was confused, Why was he acting like that out of nowhere? So touchy...
He simply smiled at the Oni and turned toward his disgusted classmate. "Megane, what me and Lum did alone under that tree away from everyone else's gaze is none of your business." He smirked, purposefully making the sentence as long and full of implications as he could, grabbing Lum's hand. "Don't a couple have the right to privacy?"
Lum's face turned red. "Darling! What are you-" She was trying to get her head around her husband's sudden change, she could comprehend it was some sort of trick, but why? Why like that...?
But the girl's reddish face was nothing compared to the stormtrooper's. The red came close to crimson as his jaw almost dislocated. "AT..ATA—ATARUUUUUU! WHAT DID YOU DO? WH..WH..WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS?" He could barely walk anymore, falling on his knees and weakly pointing a finger at the couple.
"We'll leave it to your imagination." Ataru smirked, taking Lum's hand. "Now if you'll excuse us..." He started walking away, bringing the confused Oni with him. "Come, Lum, we have a busy day ahead." He laughed, taking another glance toward Megane, his face now nearing white as his body wasn't able to produce a sound anymore.
The couple started to run for a few seconds, and when Megane was out of view, Ataru stopped, letting go of Lum's hand.
And then he started laughing—laughing like he hadn't in weeks. "That'll teach him, '' he laughed out, barely capable of breathing. He struggled to mutter, "His face!" as he erupted into another burst of laughter.
But Lum wasn't laughing, she was still blushing, holding both of her hands together. "Darling..."
This lovey-dovey tone of voice sent a signal into Ataru's brain, as he instantly stopped and turned around.
"Darling... I'm so happy!" She jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"Lum! What- Hey, cut it out!" He struggled to put her off.
"Is it true, Darling? Are we really going on a date?!" She loosened her hug a little to lean back and look directly into his eyes.
Ataru closed his eyes, his expression changing a few times. What an intense battle he was having. "Are you crazy?" He finally yelled, the warm tone having faded. The yell surprised Lum so much that he was able to escape her grasp and turn around. "I was just trying to annoy Megane, that's it."
Lum would lie to herself if she didn't know it. The doubt was in her mind the second she saw that little smirk before the change of attitude, and yet she wanted to believe he had a change of heart. "So you didn't mean any of it?" She weakly asked, looking away.
Not any, nada, zero, I'd rather spend more time under the tree than spend the day with you. He wished he could say something like that. But he couldn't, He was a good liar, but even this one was too big for him. He cared—way too much, even. But he meant some of it—maybe not his words, but his actions were true, he wanted to get away from Megane as soon as possible for his and Lum's sake, and he did want to protect Lum from Megane's accusations. He wanted to prove he wasn't as much of a scum as everyone thought. But how would he explain that to Lum? His earlier aggression had already vanished. His fighting spirit against Lum was wavering. ``Well… You know…"
She was ready to zap him the second he said 'no'. But this wasn't what she expected. "Know what?"
"It doesn't really matter, does it?" Ataru exclaimed, trying to change the subject as soon as possible.
In an instant, Lum's frown turned into a big smile as she tilted her head. "It's okay to be protective of your wife." She sighed a bit, happy.
"Sh-shut up! It's nothing like that!" Ataru's voice cracked slightly, betraying the conflict inside him. How does she always manage to get to me like this? "Forget it."
Lum opened her mouth to respond, but then thought better of it. She chose to savor the moment, still wearing his jacket and grateful that, for once, he wasn't trying to run off immediately."
Ataru's mind was a whirl of confusion. He knew he should be annoyed, yet he couldn't shake the strange comfort he felt with Lum around. As much as he hated to admit it, her presence was something he had grown used to, even fond of in his own reluctant way.
The awkward silence stretched between them as summer resumed its bustling rhythm around them. People passed by, laughter and conversations filling the air once more, accompanied by a gentle summer breeze.
"Alright, then, Darling, should we go on a date?" Maybe this was her chance. Fate was on her side, it seemed.
"You're annoying! I said no! You lost the game, so what's done is done." He crossed his arms, turning back around toward her. As much as he was trying to sound and act like an unmovable and sturdy object, he couldn't help but let a crack or two appear.
"You're the one that mentioned it again!" She argued back.
Ataru clenched his teeth, taking a risk, a small bite of cheese.. "Fine!" he finally blurted out, almost surprising himself. "Tomorrow, 4 PM at the fountain."
"Darling!"
"Be on time."
"Of course!" Thank you, Darling!" Lum leaped into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I love you!"
"Don't be embarrassing." he muttered, turning his head away, but making no effort to push her off.
Despite acting gruff, Ataru couldn't ignore the flutter of warmth that Lum's genuine excitement sparked in him. He hated how easily she got under his skin, and how easily she made him concede, but a part of him couldn't deny that her persistence was endearing and her love was something he appreciated.
Lum stopped her hug and took a few steps back. "I guess I'll go home, then." She smiled weakly. "I"m sorry rain ruined your day, Darling." She bowed a bit.
"Heh, I'm used to stuff like that, wasn't the worst." He waved his hand around, showing off.
"Really?" She smirked. "I had fun too, I'm happy we could spend some quality time together like that, Darling." Lum joined her hands behind her back, leaning a bit toward him.
"Huh? Was it really okay? You considered that 'quality time'?" Ataru was confused, she knew how weird she was, but come on...
"Of course, I was happy to spend time with you, Darling." Lum wiggled her body around, realizing she was still wearing his jacket. As long as he didn't say anything, she'd keep it.
"Tacky..." Ataru whispered.
"I'll be on my way then, come home soon, Darling!" She waved as she started to fly away, tightly hugging his jacket.
Lost, Ataru simply looked at the Oni leaving. Since when was she so agreeable? Crossing his arm in confusion, a realization suddenly hit him. "My jacket! Hey Lum! Come ba-" She was gone now; there's no way she'd hear him. "Lum you-" He sighed. "Whatever, I'll get it back home." He kept staring at the sky for a few more seconds, unsure of why.
Stretching and shaking his head, Ataru prepared himself for the main event of the day. The interlude with Lum had been a fun, albeit distracting, detour. But now, the girls would be returning to the park, and he had the perfect opportunity without Lum to interfere. Idiot! I don't plan on coming home to you! he muttered, forcing a laugh. With renewed determination, he began scouring the park for cute girls to ask out.
There wasn't anyone right now, he saw a few couples, but he knew better than to enter in a conflict with their boyfriends. In fact, the idea didn't even register, instead, he just thought about her again… She really wanted me to do those types of things with her?! He slowed down, observing a couple walking hand in hand and chatting… How embarassing… That's what she was hoping for too, wasn't it?
Suddenly, Ataru stopped. "What am I waiting for?" He then blurted out, slapping his own face with both hands. not wanting to waste any more time. The opportunity was too good to pass on! He forced himself to run, to get excited. And it worked! After a few more minutes, he met the path of some pretty girls, each slapping him and rejecting him instantly. Steadily recovering while chuckling, Ataru opened his eyes again, scanning the area for any other girl…
There's…And…
Damn it.
He tried hard, ignoring every part of his body, but he couldn't lie. He had lost his drive, he was forcing himself at this point. Not that he wasn't enjoying it, but his heart wasn't in it at all. Maybe he was too used to being chased by her, so now it felt dull? No way, girl hunting isn't about being chased by Lum. But still, as much as he was trying to convince himself, this little voice deep in his mind was clear; Girl hunting just isn't as fun.
"Fine." Ataru, hands in pockets, started to walk. As best as he could, he tried not to think too much, he did all he could to motivate himself and get in the mood, but nothing worked. And then he arrived under the same grassy hills as before. His favorite spot. Slowly, he sat back the same way he had before and leaned into the fresh grass. Lost in thought, he didn't realize how wet the grass was now that the rain had passed. But maybe that's what he needed.
With a sigh, Ataru closed his eyes again, ready for another nap. Hoping that once he woke up, the summer's sun would have melted his doubts and made everything in his heart clear.