Work Text:
“Hey Honami”
“Yes, Ichika-chan?”
“Would you like to hear some of my jokes?”
Both girls were walking together to their respective homes. They like to be together a little longer after a long day of practice. All together said their goodbyes before splitting into twos
Honami always liked going with Ichika more. She felt way warmer in her heart whenever she is with Ichika - and she doesn't want to ever let that warmth go
“Of course! I'm excited to hear what Ichika-chan has to say!”, Honami softly said as she nods and waits for her joke
Ichika smugly smiles. “Okay. Here is one of them”, she coughs. “Ejehm… What do you call a sheep who can sing and dance?”, Ichika waited for a few seconds before replying, “Lady Ba Ba!”
Honami had three stages of processing Ichika's joke
A realization hits her on what the joke is implying but she didn't understand a single thing and is therefore leaving her more confuse than before. ‘I’m thinking… this is all?’, Honami thought in disbelief
“So. What do you think?”, Ichika asked innocently with a big smile from her face
Honami let a slow exhale of resignation. She might not understand the joke at all but it did give her a smile. “I think it sounds funny, Ichika-chan”, Ichika gasped and her smile shined brighter
“Really!?”
Honami smiles and nods
“I might be the funniest girl in existence”, Ichika said before pumping one of her first onto her chest proudly. Honami couldn't help but to be enamored by her cutely personality Ichika has
Yes, the joke didn't land. Infact, it fell crashing down near the landing spot and exploded. But Ichika sounds and looks happy so Honami doesn't mind it at all
────────
★
Honami was packing her stuff at her SEKAI to go home. She was about to meet Ichika on the real world when someone touched her shoulder. Honami got spooked and almost dropped her phone
“Ah! S-Shiho-chan! You scared me”
“Honami. We need to talk”, Shiho didn't bother to apologized and goes straight to her point. Or rather for her, not straight actually
Honami frowns. “W-What is it, Shiho-chan?”
Shiho sighed, “Can you tell her to stop?”
“Eh?”, Honami stood still in confusion
“It's Ichika. I had a feeling it's you that influenced her or something”
Honami still had no idea what she meant. “Influence her on what?”
Shiho exhale hard and looks exhausted, “Her jokes”
“Ichika would tell us her… bad jokes to us non-stop. She told me and Saki, ‘How is my wallet like an onion? Every time I open it, I cry’. I didn't understand the joke at all and neither did Saki. Like… what the hell does that mean”
Honami now regrets her instinct of seeing Ichika smile to letting the beast of horrible dad jokes to roam around
“Honami, I know you like her and all but… please… tell her to stop. I already heard of the bass joke from a long time ago and I can't take it anymore”, she closed her eyes and shivered. “Miku that was awful…”
Honami nervously chuckles. “I get it, Shiho-chan… I'll try my best to talk to her”
Shiho exhaled. “Good. You will see her soon so do us the favor. I'm begging you for my sanity. I'll see you tomorrow”
Honami waved goodbye at Shiho and she disappears into thin air. Honami’s feelings sink as she doesn't have any idea on what to do
‘H-How can I tell her to stop?!! I-I don't know!!’
────
✩
“Honami, I got another joke for you: Why do you never see elephants hiding in trees? Because they're so good at it!”
“T-That’s really good, Ichika-chan”
It was not good
Honami is at the middle ground of despair and desperation. One, she kinda likes her jokes. Although they're so bad that anyone hearing it would facepalm immediately, it's so bad that it brings chuckles to her mouth. But that's what she's not here for. She desperately needs this to stop. For Shiho and Saki's sake
“Ichika-chan”, said Honami on her usual softness
“Yes, Honami?”
“I appreciate your jokes and all but I think you need to stop doing it”
Ichika, hearing this, slightly saddens her face. It shatters Honami's heart but it had to be done
“I'm sorry, Honami. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I'll stop doing it”, Ichika frowns more
‘This won't do’
Honami hugged her from behind, “I didn't mean that!”. Ichika flinched at the sudden action and stood still on the sidewalk. Honami continued, “It never made me feel uncomfortable. Rather, I like your jokes. It is a little difficult to understand but I don't hate it”
On Honami's eyes, Ichika's face was difficult to see so she couldn't see her reaction. Ichika slightly touches Honami's arms. “U-Umm… but you told me that I should stop”
Honami turned Ichika to face her, “It was Shiho who told me to tell you to stop”. Ichika slightly reddens and chuckles
“Yeah… maybe I should stop entirely. I should have known that Shiho doesn't like my jokes. Maybe even Saki too”
Honami still didn't like this path that is leading to. She thought of a different solution, “Ah, how about you only tell me? I don't mind your jokes”
Ichika gave herself time to think. “Umm... I don't know. I don't want to force you hearing it”
“Ichika-chan, I don't really mind really!”, she tried to comfort her but Ichika's body movement tells her she is hesitant. Then a lightbulb lights up. “Ah, how about once every day, you bring up one joke. Since it's once per day, you’ll have time to prepare the joke and also practice to it for the next day”
This time, Ichika does smile, “Really?” Honami nods. “Alright, I guess that's settled”
They both started walking on the sidewalk. Feeling happy and motivated, Honami thought of one silly joke
“Hey Ichika-chan”
“Yes, Honami?”
“What’s red and bad for your teeth?”, Honami waited for a bit. “A brick!”
This time, Ichika processed the joke and laughs. “Haha! Wait, that is funny! Honami, how did you do it?”
“I don't know. I just felt overjoyed”
Ichika hummed and smiles. “Well, that means that I better prepare myself to make the best joke ever”
Honami, with her soften eyes and her fingers crossed to one another, nods. “I’m excited to wait for your joke, Ichika-chan"