27| Picnic

                                    

                                          
   "I was wondering if, y'know, tomorrow we could maybe have a picnic together. The weather's supposed to be nice," I say, looking at their shocked expressions. Even Akira's stunned.
                          
   I gulp, mustering up all the courage I have. 
                          
   "And, y'know...we're friends...."
                          
   "..."
                          
   The room goes dead silent. Their mouths hang open, becoming stiff as boards. It's so quiet I can hear the sound of students from other dorm halls laughing and having conversations. 
                          
   "Well, say something," I growl, my cheeks turning pink and my gaze shifting to the floor. 
                          
   Ayame's the first one to snap out of it, "ARE MY EARS WORKING!? DID MI-MI-CHAN ACTUALLY ACCEPT OUR FRIENDSHIP!?" they screech, grabbing me by the shoulders, shaking me back and forth. 
                          
   Haru tears up, "I-I can't believe it. Someone mark this day down on a calendar!" he yells, looking back at the others. Hanako pulls her planner out of her purse, writing something down, still amazed. 
                          
   "You guys are making way too big of a deal over this," I groan. I don't know what else I was expecting. While Ayame continues to yell into my ear, I make eye contact with Sato. His eyes are so beautiful and comforting. 
                          
   Out of nowhere, Akira yanks Ayame off of me, throwing them to the floor, grabbing me by the forearms, "It took you long enough, you rat! I hope you stub your toe after getting out of bed in the morning!" he shouts. 
                          
   I look at him with a tired expression, "What the hell, man?" I ask. As usual, I don't understand a word that comes from his mouth. 
                          
   "Finally, I've been freed from this nightmare," Akira says, sighing in relief, falling to the floor. Suddenly, his eyes widen, shooting to his feet. He grabs Sato by the man-bun, "Now it is time for stage two," he mumbles, dragging him out of the dorms, closing the door behind them. 
                          
   I raise an eyebrow, "What just happened?" I ask. 
                          
   Hanako sighs, shooing all of us to our rooms, "Let's go to bed. We'll worry about them in the morning." 
                          
   "Fine..." Ayame and Haru groan. 
                          
~~~~
                          
   "...Ayame, what are you doing?" I ask. They're surrounded by three picnic baskets, a bunch of blankets, some large apple and orange juice bottles, and a bunch of those red cups you see in American movies. 
                          
   They smile, face full of fulfillment, "Well well well, sunshine's finally up," they say, hands on their hips. 
                          
   I let out an exhausted sigh, brushing out my bedhead, "Never call me that again," I groan, struggling to get a knot out. I swear, one day, I'm going to chop off all of my hair with a kitchen knife. 
                          
   "Indeed," Akira's voice sounds from behind me, taking the brush from me, combing out my coarse hair, "She's no ray of sunshine. More like the devil mixed with Satan," he says, getting the knot out with ease. I really want to punch this guy sometimes. 
                          
   "The devil and Satan are the same being, man!" Haru yells out from the living area, watching a romance movie while he snacks on a bag of chips. 
                          
   Akira smirks, "Fool, everyone knows they're two different entities," he mutters to himself. Oh, the poor soul. He's so much dumber than he thinks. 
                          
   Hanako stands behind Haru, hitting him on the head with her Psychology textbook, "Get off your ass and help out for once," she sighs. 
                          
  "OW!" he squeaks out, dropping his bag of chips, "I am helping out!" he yells, turning around to face Hanako.