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This was not how he wanted to spend his weekend.
It had been exactly 4 hours and 52 minutes since Noritoshi left Kyoto Jujutsu High to join the girls on their shopping spree. Not as a peer, not as a friend, but as a personal servant. Tarnishing his name in broad daylight, as if he wasn't already named after the family stain. He was fully convinced that Miwa, the meek girl she usually was, had been indoctrinated by the other two into going along with their antics, because there was no other explanation as to why none of them expressed any shame for the blatant belittlement at play. What gall.
He should be doing his homework and drinking coffee in the comfort of his own dorm room now, breathing in the stillness of the afternoon and welcoming the dim of night. And yet where did he find himself at present? In a game center. Noisy, crowded, and lit so gaudily he could feel his retinas burning. His face was drenched in sweat, his feet felt like they were stepping on wild thorns, and his arms ached from the straps of shopping bags digging through his sleeves. Worst of all, there was nothing he could do about it, because Momo had concluded that they would not call it a day until they stopped by the arcade's photo booth, and she was roping him into this under the flimsy argument that he "might as well". "High school memories!" she added, completely ignoring the fact that they'd run the risk of returning home late and incurring Utahime's wrath.
There was also Mai.
It frustrated him, knowing that he wouldn't be this peeved had she not rudely dismissed him earlier. The one time he'd decided to set his ego aside and accept her help, the one time he'd decided to recognize her rare kindness and maybe rethink the version of her he'd cemented in his head all this time, and she'd proceeded to shut him down with "Whatever". Whatever? Whatever? Oh, it'd taken so little for him to sour; his insides had practically curdled up like spoiled milk. He peered at the Rilakkuma plush he carried over his shoulder and grimaced. Thanks to Mai Zenin herself, any and all sense of accomplishment he'd gained from winning this toy had vanished, and if he'd had even a single ill-mannered bone in his body, he would've left his prize at the UFO catcher he'd gotten it from.
Out of the three girls, she seemed the most opposed to going to the photo booth. In just these past five minutes, she'd asked Momo to reconsider thrice; the older girl, as expected, wasn't going to take "no" for an answer. Noritoshi didn't need to wonder why Mai was so against the idea. The way she side-eyed him every time she tried to negotiate with her friend spoke volumes. It compelled him to scoff. Couldn't be discreet to save her life. But at the very least, the feeling was mutual.
After a bit of walking, they reached their destination—a pink box with a picture of two women printed on one side. Looked like it could barely fit four people. Correction, it looked like it could barely fit him. He'd need to duck to get in, and once inside, it was likely he'd give the person next to him a hard time, given the broadness of his shoulders. It would only be sensible, then, to have him stand at the very back.
By process of elimination, he was starting to get a clear picture of who might stand beside him. For once in his life, he hoped he was wrong.
"Okay, so!" Momo began. "We split into two rows. Two people each. Kasumi, you're with me at the front, and you guys—"
"No."
Their answer caught her off guard, Momo now visibly trying to recollect herself. In a way, Noritoshi was also taken aback himself. Wasn't everyday that he and Mai were on the same page.
"No?" Momo asked. "Whaddya mean 'no'? It's the only arrangement that makes sense!"
Mai raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with me being at the front?"
"Well, you and Kamo are the tallest ones! Y'know, tall people at the back? Rule of thumb?"
"You act like I'm some giant. I'm not that much taller than Kasumi." Mai stood closer to the aforementioned second-year, trying to prove her point. Having lost her voice during karaoke, Miwa could only glance helplessly between the two.
"Yeah but your shoes—" Momo pointed at Mai's feet "—add to your height!"
Noritoshi looked down, noting how much thicker the soles of Mai's white sneakers were in comparison to Miwa's. Seemingly out of defenses and regretting her fashion choices, Mai took to stomping the floor.
Momo planted her hands on her hips. "Why are you even wearing those? Aren't you tall enough already?"
Mai narrowed her eyes. "Am I tall or are you just short?"
"I'M NOT—"
"We're wasting time," Noritoshi interrupted. He sighed. This petty argument might kill him faster than the caffeine in his bloodstream. "I think it would be in everyone's best interest if I just leave and wait outside." He spun on his heel. "If you'll excuse me—"
A hand yanked him by his belt.
He huffed, muttering "What is it now?" under his breath. Upon turning around, a deadpan Momo bore into him, holding up her phone. On the screen was a video she'd taken last summer of Noritoshi walking in the rain, slipping, and falling face-first onto the mud. Although the recording was muted, his pained shout morphing into a shriek when he'd tasted wet soil in his mouth rang clear in his head.
"If you leave, I'm posting this."
He could feel the color drain from his face.
"Really?" Mai asked, unamused. "All it takes is blackmail for you to change your mind? Be serious—"
A tap on the shoulder cut her short, attention now directed at Momo who was, once again, holding up her phone. While Noritoshi couldn't see what was on the screen on account of Momo's back facing him, the flash of panic in Mai's eyes and how she tried to snatch the device out of her friend's hand was all he needed to know.
"You're one to talk," he sneered.
Her gaze fell on him, and she glowered. "Shut your trap, Kamo."
"So!" Momo clapped her hands, voice bouncing with newfound enthusiasm. "Are we all on board?"
Noritoshi and Mai glanced at each other, and then at Momo, whose excitement seemed to flicker rapidly like a light bulb, mere moments away from burning out. The bright gleam of her expression failed to mask the malice in her eyes, waiting to tear the two into shreds if they dared say "no".
He exhaled. Fine. So be it. Better to endure a horrible afternoon than become the internet's laughing stock.
They both groaned. "Yes."
Momo beamed. "Great!"
Mai entered first, then Noritoshi. As Miwa and Momo filed in, he set down the shopping bags beside him. By some miracle, he managed to arrange them neatly so as to fit inside the photo booth, but while he'd usually be relieved that his arms were now free to move, this meant standing even closer to Mai, so close in fact that the smell of her shampoo wafted into his nose. He'd smelled it before when she'd helped him win the claw machine, that…familiar clean…fresh, minty scent that…was actually quite pleasant but it still…no, it didn't sting or assault his nose either. Really, he'd go as far as to say that he liked it—
"Move."
…even though the wearer was still as prickly as ever.
"What?"
"Our shoulders are touching. Move."
He peered down at his shoulder and then back up at her. "We're in a confined space. What do you expect?"
"I don't care," she spat. "Move."
She nudged him, a shopping bag nearly crumpling under his foot as a result. He nudged her back.
"You first."
She tried shoving him away.
"No, you."
He tried pushing back. "I insist."
"Yeah well I insist more."
He scoffed. "No you don't."
"Yes I do."
"No you don't."
"Yes I do."
"No you—"
Loud, forced coughing interrupted them. Coughing that sounded like it belonged to Momo.
Looking down, they found the third-year clutching her phone close to her face, a grasp so tight it threatened to crack the screen. Her smile that stretched from ear to ear could barely veil her fury, and all poor Miwa could do was pat her friend's shoulder in a sorry attempt to calm her down.
"Okay, fine!"
Momo lit up immediately, spinning around to use the photo booth's monitor.
The camera switched on moments later, and resigned to their fate, Noritoshi and Mai could only frown as their faces appeared on screen. Both of them, however, failed to notice the countdown on the monitor, and before they knew it, a bright flash of light stunned them.
A small window appeared on the left side of the screen—a preview of the image that had just been taken. Momo squinted at it.
"Yeesh. Can you guys at least pretend you're having fun? Pose and smile or something!"
Pose? Noritoshi wondered. Getting him to smile in these circumstances was already a tall order, and now Momo wanted him to pose? He thought back to all the times he had his picture taken, and in each one, the only thing the photographer asked of him was that he either sat or stood still. He'd never taken pictures in a context this informal. How was he supposed to act?
From the corner of his eye, he noticed Mai lift her hand up to make a peace sign, and as if it had a mind of its own, his hand did the same.
She stomped on his foot.
"Ow!"
"Stop copying me."
His mouth flew open to retort, but nothing came out. Damn it. He'd rather perish than admit it aloud, but just this one time, she had a point, and there was unfortunately no denying what he'd done.
He clicked his tongue. She'd practically let him imitate her when it'd come to that claw machine from earlier, so why she was this ill-tempered now was beyond him. Inconsistent, much?
The countdown began again, and in such little time, all Noritoshi could do was give a thumbs up to the camera.
Click!
Another window appeared below the previous one. Momo studied it and then glanced at him and Mai.
"Mai, put your arm around his shoulder."
"What?!"
As if on cue, her phone flew from her handbag to her hand.
"Do you want to go viral?"
…it sickened them how well this threat worked.
Reluctantly, Mai did as Momo said, pulling Noritoshi down a little bit as a result. Her Kuromi plush dangled from her fingers, and Rilakkuma remained stationary on Noritoshi's right shoulder.
"See?" Momo chimed. "This is gonna look so good for the picture!"
Oh, sure. As if the scowls on either of their faces wouldn't scare a newborn to tears.
"And Mai? Make sure he, like, actually smiles this time."
The girl's mouth fell open. "Why is it always me?!"
"'Cuz you're my friend and I trust you!"
Mai grunted, mumbling something that sounded like "I hate this" under her breath, and before Noritoshi could counter with "You think I don't?", she forcibly stretched his mouth into a wide grin using her free hand.
"Stop it," he strained.
"What? Got a better solution?" She, too, forced a smile, and through gritted teeth, she muttered, "For the record, I wouldn't be doing this if you'd just cut the crap. I know you know how to smile. You literally did it before. But sure, go ahead, make things harder for the both of us."
Did it before? "You're—" he struggled "—making things up."
"No, I'm—" she jerked his head toward the camera "—not. You're just stupid."
Click!
Leaning forward and narrowing her eyes, Momo took to inspecting the preview for the third image as soon as it popped up on screen. She shrugged. "Better, I guess."
Mai sighed with relief and began to pull away.
"But!"
She stopped.
"Keep your arm there."
"Momo!"
"It's just one more picture!" the girl prodded. "After this, we're done. Promise."
Too tired to fight back, Mai could only groan and slump. From the corner of his eye, Noritoshi saw Miwa turn around and offer her an apologetic yet encouraging smile. He himself had already lost all resolve, dreading the earful Utahime might throw their way once all four of them waltz through the school's threshold. Given his pristine track record thus far, it was highly likely that he'd have to bear the brunt of her scolding for failing to bring everyone back before curfew—a responsibility that he, in theory, should be able to shoulder. And yet here he was, enabling his own incompetence, intentionally letting this mistake slip past him unscathed.
He perked up at the sound of laughter beside him, and for a moment, he thought fatigue was making him hear things. Because he'd never expected so much as a genuine chuckle from that voice, the voice that he'd always associated with conceit and conceit alone.
Until he turned to his left and saw it for himself.
Mai was clutching her stomach with her free arm, and judging by the delight on Miwa's face as she peered at her friend, Noritoshi assumed she'd just whispered a joke of some kind. Mai's laugh wasn't the gentle, dainty giggle you'd expect from a girl of her upbringing. No, it was boisterous, breathless, uncontrollable—a borderline cackle. Unbridled, unreserved, the complete opposite of soft-spoken. And somehow, it matched the cheeky grin plastered on her face perfectly.
Noritoshi Kamo treasured his peace and quiet. Order was an integral facet of his life, and he knew he couldn't go about his day without some semblance of structure governing his every hour and every second.
But surprisingly, this chaos didn't bother him. In fact, it might actually be something he'd welcome.
Too lost in his own thoughts, he failed to register the countdown again, and before he knew it—
Click!
—the final picture was taken.
He woke up the next day with his arms wrapped around his Rilakkuma plush.
Rubbing his eyes, Noritoshi sat up and let the toy fall to his side. How strange. If his memory served him right (which it always did), he hadn't been holding it when he'd first fallen asleep. As a matter of fact, he hadn't touched it all after returning from the game center. He and the girls had narrowly escaped punishment yesterday, having arrived at the dorms one minute past 6pm. Fortunately, Utahime had absolved them of their unpunctuality, but had they made it back any later, she might not have been so generous. Exhausted from chaperoning the girls for hours on end, he'd haphazardly tossed Rilakkuma onto his bed before taking a shower and left it there for the remainder of the night.
Noritoshi eyed the plushie and picked it up, examining its sleeping face. He exhaled. Perhaps he'd been too harsh to it the other day. An innocent children's toy was undeserving of his spite, and now that his mind was running clearer, he found nothing repulsive about it. As recompense, he'd make sure to cherish it for being the first stuffed animal he'd ever owned and won from a crane game.
As for the person who helped him acquire it, he'd let her take full credit if that was what she wanted. His opinion of her had barely changed, though.
He set Rilakkuma aside, deciding that it'd be best for the plush toy to stay within the confines of his dorm room; bringing it home to the Kamo estate was out of the question. He shuffled towards the edge of his bed and, before he got the chance to stand up, caught a glimpse of his wallet on his nightstand, illuminated by the sunlight that seeped through his window. Compelled to look through it for whatever reason, he grabbed his wallet off the bedside table and opened it.
Nestled between banknotes was a strip of shiny photo paper with four pictures printed on it. The photo booth had spewed out four copies of the end result, one for each person to keep. Beforehand, however, the girls had taken the liberty of adding little stickers and doodles on the images. It was why Noritoshi was sporting red devil horns in the first picture, courtesy of Mai. In the same picture, she'd given herself a halo despite the scowl on her face. He recalled her snickering as she did so.
They'd seemed just as awkward in the second picture, their 'smiles' void of any mirth, and they appeared even worse in the third. In that one, besides looking downright creepy, they just looked like they were in pain. Maybe Mai's distress had been more emotional than it was physical, but Noritoshi's had definitely been the latter. He could still remember how much his cheeks hurt from Mai forcing that huge grin on his face, and his neck ached just as much.
The fourth picture, meanwhile, was simultaneously the best and the most embarrassing one.
It was the best from an objective standpoint. All three of the girls were smiling in it, and Momo had even praised the take for being the most candid. What made it embarrassing, though, was Noritoshi himself. He was staring at Mai laughing to her heart's content in a manner that he could only describe as fond. He looked like a fool. He looked like a dunce. Why was he looking at her as if she was the first girl he'd ever laid eyes on? Shame, shame, shame on him. It was her fault for ensnaring him in her little trap, sure, but it was his fault for being so gullible in the first place, falling for the tricks of someone he was supposed to abhor till death. The photo strip fell onto his lap as his hands flew to his face, and he let out a long, muffled groan.
He didn't know what drove him to peek through the spaces between his fingers. His gaze, for some reason, gravitated towards Mai in the fourth picture. He conceded that it was nice for a change to see her so happy. In fact, this might be the happiest he'd ever seen her, and this photo strip now immortalized that.
After a long bout of silence, he sighed, slipped the photo strip back into his wallet, and folded it closed.
Looking back, this weekend wasn't as bad as he'd made it out to be.