NOVEL WEB Arc 2, Ch.10: Yikes.
He awkwardly turned away, deciding to bite back. “So you sneakily stare at people like a creep, that I didn't notice?”
Ouch.
I snapped my mouth shut and slowed my steps again.
Mizuki’s expression shifted to something that revealed he hadn’t intended to sound like that, but didn’t know how to make it any better. I, on the other hand, didn’t want to make an idiot out of myself and would prefer to be quiet.
I can't quite explain what I felt at that moment. Even seeing him look like he hadn't meant it at all, the words were still stuck in my ear. An uncomfortable feeling was working itself through my veins, freezing them.
A pop-up flashed, not aggressively like before, but like a gentle prodding.
[“Would you find me creepy?”]
Not a choice I needed to say, not even a prompt. Just a pop-up suggesting to me what I could answer to that.
I didn't know what to do and was completely helpless at how to deal with the situation, so I decided to trust the system for a bit and asked him in a quiet voice.
He didn’t respond for several seconds before he spit out a quiet “No.” and hurried forward.
I didn’t chase after him this time. I halted for a moment, watching him vanish in the crowd, and took the second to soothe my messy thoughts and mood.
He just gave me permission to look at him, it seems.
It’s creepy when anyone else does it, but he’s fine if it’s me.
I huffed out a breath that had been stuck in my throat. If I said things that made him too awkward, he’d snap at me. I should have probably let the topic fall after seeing he was embarrassed, but this didn’t go too badly in the end. At least I felt my blood move again.
I started to trail into the direction of the slides, knowing that this would be where everyone was. Thankfully, everyone minded their own business in here and the water was loud enough that no one noticed our weird interaction.
The sound of water rushing filled my ears and I let my thoughts go empty for two seconds before I got moving again. I didn’t want to think up an excuse for being so late.
By the time I got up all the stairs, everyone was waiting in a corner, waving me over. I was relieved that they hadn’t noticed the time passing, although it wasn’t too weird considering they were discussing which slide to go first.
“How about we just split as we please and meet in two hours for a snack?”, was the final suggestion everyone agreed with. Kaoru ran off to the quicker slides, the rest of us gathered around the ones more directed towards having fun. Flashing lights, loops, there was everything.
“I’m off to trying the loops”, Tarou hummed happily, already eyeing the green waterslide. I looked at it and went to hide behind Yuji.
“I’m guessing that means he’s not planning on going with you.” Well said, Yuji.
“Aw! Come on! I need someone else, or I’ll have to with a stranger!”
The other person absolutely wouldn’t be me. To my surprise, Prez volunteered. He got along weirdly well with my friends.
Now there were three people left: Yuji, me hiding behind him and Mizuki with crossed arms.
Mama Yuji dragged me in front of him and patted my head. “You two go and sort out whatever half-finished conversation you had at the moment we weren’t together, hm? Take the yellow ring-slide, it ends quite close to a little bar.” Another pat, then he turned on his heels and wandered off to a pitch-black slide.
Muuuum! Don’t leave meee!
I stood rooted where I was, staring after his tall figure with a dropped jaw. He sure robbed us of the possibility of acting like we never had the previous conversation.
Not that it maybe wasn’t better this way.
He had been kind enough to already tell us where to go, so we wordlessly lined up to get on the ring-slide.
“Here you go. The taller one sits behind. Always hold onto the grips and if you fall out during the slide, don’t try to climb in but create a distance between the ring and yourself. Have fun.”
The explanation was the same the woman had given thousands of times. I didn’t say a word as I stepped over to sit down in the ring that was still just hovering in the water before a closed door.
Mizuki hesitated before he got up in front.
His back against my chest was blazing. His still dry hair tickled my chin, some scent entering my nose. Probably his shampoo.
I concentrated on gripping the handles on the side of the ring and tilted my head up to look at the lights showing whether the slide was empty or not. The moment it turned green, the door holding back the ring jolted open.
The water pressure pushed us forwards - and then we plummeted.
I don’t get scared by horror and I never screamed during one of those movies, but the sudden drop had me shout in surprise.
The slide went outside and turned see-through, so we suddenly found ourselves meters above the ground, going who knows how fast without any control and thrown around in various curves.
My screams did turn into delight after the second curve, which had you almost horizontal. I could see why people would slip out of the ring.
Contrary to my sister’s expectations, I had zero time to care about Mizuki’s body pressing against me. I registered his scarce screams, though he was considerably more quiet than me.
The slide wasn’t overly long and after a few seconds, we were thrown into the open pool area, gasping for breath as we emerged from the cool water. I gave a shiver.
“There you are! Please empty the area and give me your ring”, another young woman said from the side, grinning at us.
“Ah, yeah!”
We rolled out of the ring, brushing wet hair out of our faces, and dragged the heavy thing to the side. The woman pulled it out of the water and into something I can only describe as a conveyor belt.
We watched the ring vanish into it in childish fascination before glancing at each other. A short silence, then I hesitantly asked.
“Bar?”
“Yeah.”
Bar first, playing later. I guess. Leaving our conversation open was kinda uncomfortable, I admit.
The tropical bar was nicely designed under palm trees. We could be served alcohol already but we still wanted to swim, so we disregarded those cocktails and both ordered something without alcohol. At this early time of the day, still away from lunchtime, the bar was so empty we could just move to a corner and had our privacy.
I sipped at the cocktail which was just a fruit juice mix with ice in the end.
Oh, how I regretted this. Everything is always nice and logical until you’re in the situation and realize: I really don’t wanna do this.
Mizuki stared at the plastic table and wiped away some stray drops that had dripped from his hair to his cheeks.
“I’m bad with words.”
“Makes it two.”
Seriously. Most reasons why I managed to get through flirty or otherwise awkward situations with you is because the words weren’t mine and I didn't have a choice in saying them.
But how was I supposed to deal with this situation? I decided to just plant my face on the table.
“...”
Awkward.
Okay, you know what? I didn’t want to destroy my nice day with this. Let’s say things go well, we’ll be awkward. If they don’t, even more so. But leaving it like this wasn’t any better.
There were so many times when I could question everything, when I wasn’t sure about what to think, when I worried about his true thoughts. But beyond all that...
By now, wasn’t it perfectly obvious that I liked him? If I was completely honest, if I let realism speak for once? And hadn’t he made it clear he didn’t draw a line with me, a line that he drew for Prez and everyone else?
You know what, screw this shit.
“Are you free tomorrow evening?”
“Hm? ...Should be.”
“Can we meet up in the park near the orphanage at 6?”
“...Okay.”
There you go, system. You’ll get your sappy, romantic scenery near the river, the equally sappy and romantic sundown and probably the world’s most awkward confession scene.
