As Yuuki found himself distracted by Lyucifer’s apparel, which was messily dumped inside a basket, Yui looked at him as if to say “go on already.”
“Wow, amazing.”
“You’re terrible at this. No matter, I expected as much. Alright, repeat after me ‘Yui is a Cyutie!’”
“Yui is a Cyutie?”
“Say it like you mean it.”
“Yui is a Cyutie?!”
“This isn’t a horror movie. Now, from the top.”
Yuuki wanted to avoid saying something stupid and get weird looks, so he changed the topic instead.
“Black is good but I think bright colors suit you best.”
“M-Mhmm. Alright, guess I may as well buy it.”
Yuuki was by no means an expert but he tried finding something to compliment, regardless.
Yui then turned toward the mirror, checking herself out as she pulled on the skirt’s hem to check the quality of the fabric. When she saw the price tag, however, her face turned sour.
“Although, they are both spring items, so they should go on discount soon. No point in buying them now.”
“Mhmm.”
“Also, you could be tricking me for all I know.”
Yui appeared surprisingly level headed.
I’d expect the literal devil to be a little more impulsive or is that asking too much? Yuuki thought as Yui suddenly pointed him in the face.
“Once more, repeat after me ‘Yui Astyutie!’”
“Yui As what?”
“You look confused. Baffled, even.”
Because I am. Is it... some kind of slang? Yuuki fired his brain on all cylinders, attempting to decipher what it could possibly mean.
Just as he was about to call it quits, Yuuki experienced a sudden revelation. He stepped toward Yui, slowly extending his arm toward her butt.
Yui jumped back, her face covered in shock. “Wh-What do you think you’re doing?”
“Checking for teeth. a*s toothy, and all.”
“It’s As-tyu-tie!”
a*s toothy wasn’t it, judging by her visceral reaction.
“Astyu... ty? Like the ty in itchy, tasty?”
“Do I look like a zombie to you?”
Shopping for clothes ended up getting put on hold, Yuuki’s question remaining unanswered. Yuuki walked outside the store and waited for Yui to finish changing.
“Next up we’ve got, uhh…”
Yui aimlessly wandered the place, looking all around. She seemed to have no destination in mind, appearing to be out of ideas.
After a few minutes, Yui spotted a giant bear plush sitting at the front of a knick-knack shop and began moving toward it.
“So cute.”
Yuuki watched Yui get sucked in by the knick-knack shop’s gravitational pull out of the corner of his eye as he carried on forward.
“Where are you going?” Yui ran up to him, tugging on his sleeve.
Yuuki didn’t like her condemning tone. He looked Yui in the eye and said, “No, where are you going?”
“You’re supposed to follow along with a warm smile, not run away from me!”
Why can’t you just say where you want to go instead of making me play guessing games? Yuuki, formally Yui’s servant for the day, argued no further, entering the store alongside her.
The inside was bursting with knick-knacks, toys and sweets. Yuuki had never seen anything like it.
Yui went down one of its cramped, narrow aisles with a familiar stride.
As she passed by a row of penguin bird-thing plushies, Yui gave each of them a quick tap on the head. She seemed awfully pleased with herself, even if it made her seem somewhat lacking upstairs.
“Astyute, huh?”
“Hmm? Too late for compliments now, buddy.”
Yui appeared to have taken it as a compliment. The darkness runs deep.
She proceeded to wander about the store, commenting on weird foreign dolls and shady anime merch as she went.
Eventually they stumbled across a modest literature corner, a book on blood types catching Yui’s eye. She asked, “What’s your type?”
“Normal.”
“Blood type, wise guy.”
“B.”
“B? Hmm, you don’t say.”
“What’s with the creepy grin?”
“Oh, nothing.” Yui said, passing him a side glance.
What’s so funny? Yuuki felt the urge to sock someone’s chin.
“What do you think’s my type?”
“Beats me.”
“Play along, please.”
She said, seamlessly switching from happy to angry. All because my answer wasn’t absolutely perfect. Yuuki went into thinking mode.
“AB?”
“Wrong.”
“B?”
“Wroong.”
“A?”
“Can you get anything right for once?” Yui snarled, heaving a comically heavy sigh. “Unbelievable. You’re a terrible judge of character.”
“Because I couldn’t guess your blood type?”
“You should really read up on these things, especially the proper way to treat an O lady.”
“Pff.”
“Don’t ‘pff’ me, bub” Yui took the book, flipping through it before showing it to Yuuki.
“O types tend to be careless, tardy and live in filth. Wow, literally you.”
“As if you’ve ever been to my room.”
“Doesn’t matter. I didn’t write the book.”
“Uh-huh, now can you read what it actually says?”
Yuuki looked over to the strengths section. “O types are caring, sisterly types, always willing to compromise with others for mutual benefit... yeah, bogus. Or maybe you’re just lying about your type.”
“And now he’s calling me a liar. Great.”
“You’re actually an AB, right?”
“What makes you think that?”
“Mina’s an AB.”
“There you go, treating me like the little sister type again. I really don’t think me and Mina are all that alike, contrary to popular belief.”
“I just thought it fits you, is all.”
Yui froze for a second before her gaze began wandering, her eyes blinking rapidly. “I-I guess I do have a bit of an AB side, now that you mention it. An Assault Buster side, that is.”
“Just know that I don’t really believe in blood types.”
“Why do I even bother?” Yui slammed the book shut, placing it back into its original spot. “Off we go now, come on.” She urged.
They left the knick-knack shop, only for Yui to stop after taking three steps. She stuck her face against a glass display case, squealing as she gazed at the pendants and necklaces within.
“Look at all the shinies.” Yuuki tried to walk past all nonchalantly, only for Yui to grab his sleeve without even looking. Defeated, Yuuki stopped. “Isn’t that one cute?” She said, pointing at a shiny gemstone hanging off a chain.
“Didn’t I give you one earlier?”
“Do you have to say it like a mother telling her child we have toys back home?”
“Did it help?”
“Oh, you know…” Yui vaguely responded, her eyes glued to the window. She appeared a little uncomfortable with the topic.
Maybe I was a little too forceful with the gifts.
“It’s okay if you threw them away, I don’t mi…” Yui began rummaging through her bag partway through his sentence, busting out two differently colored worry stones. Both were gifts from Yuuki.”
“You... had them on you?”
“Y-Yeah. For good luck, you know?”
“I see.” Yuuki shifted his gaze away from Yui’s hands, her upturned eyes meeting his.
“Wh-What?”
“Nothing, I think you just made my day a little.”
Yui looked away in embarrassment, her lip slightly twitching. She then clutched the wealth and worry stone, holding them aloft. “Behold: Gold Mental Power!”
“Sounds like an energy drink. Feel like I’ve had a similar exchange with Mina before.”
“What did I just say about comparing us?” Yui aggressively stuffed the stones back into her bag, proceeding to point at a nearby sunglasses rack. “W-Woah! Sunglasses!” She grabbed a pair, bringing it right up to Yuuki’s face. “Try ‘em on.”
“Nuh-uh.” Yuuki said, receiving a light blow to the shoulder. “Not cool.”
“The ticket, Yuuki.” Yui lifted her chin, gazing up at him. Yuuki begrudgingly took the glasses, putting them on. Yui tilted her head, “Pff! Nope, definitely not!” She bursted into a seemingly endless fit of laughter. Yuuki unconsciously extended his hand toward Yui’s cheek, pinching it. “Ouwsh.”
“Sorry. Accident.” Yuuki hurriedly let go.
Her face looked too pinchable; he just couldn’t help himself. Well, she stopped laughing but now she’s going to start nagging. Yuuki thought, bracing himself for the worst.
Yui, however, simply held down her cheek, smirking. “What’s with the smirk?”
“Hmm? Oh, don’t worry about it.”
“Uh-huh. Creepy.”
“That’s the third time today. What’s so ‘creepy’ about my smile, huh?”
It’s been that many times already? Yuuki tilted his head as Yui continued the attack.
“What kind of boyfriend regularly describes his partner with the word ‘creepy’ in the middle of a date?”
“You kept count. Impressive.”
“Third times a curse, you know?”
“Awfully generous for the literal devil.”
Lyucifer was, surprisingly enough, more patient than the original. It seems a little praise goes a long way.
“Enough. Gimme those.” Yui snatched the sunglasses away, putting them on. “That’s what it is to be young. How do I look by the way?” She grinned, adjusting them for the perfect angle.
“Like a middle schooler trying really hard to look cool.”
“Me, cringy middle schooler? Alright, for the third time now, say it with me, ‘Yui Suavyutie!’”
“Yui Suavyupee.”
“Good one! Got me real good there, Yuuki! Now from the top, let’s hear it!”
Yui took the sunglasses off, putting them back where they belonged. She then proceeded to smack Yuuki across the back. Ouch. Her voice was so loud a group of two girls gave them weird looks as they passed by. This is really starting to drag now.
“Sorry, Yui.”
“I don’t remember telling you to say ‘Sorry, Yui’!”
“Please stop.”
“Or that either!”
“Yui Ascyutie Suavyupee.”
“Did I tell you to mash them all together?”
Leave me alone. Yuuki frowned, covering his ears.
Yui took out the rolled up yes ticket in response, bringing it right up to his nostril. “Why the long face? Want me to shove it? Shove it all the way up? Shove it till it comes out your mouth? Hmm?” Yui kept going, appearing to enjoy herself greatly.
Finally showed your true form I see, Lyucifer.
Yuuki removed his hands from his ears, heaving a theatrically heavy sigh. “Whew, I’m tired.”
“Cute. Listen here, buddy. I’m Lyucifer, the devil, el diablo. Do you think I care poor little Yuuki is ‘tired’? Hmm? Do you?”
“Let’s take a break. I’ll buy you something.”
“Break, it is.”
Yuuki’s proposition was surprisingly met with a nod.
They left the shop, moving floors to the food court. Upon arrival, they noticed a long row of people in the distance.
Upon approaching, they were greeted by an ornate easel that said “OPEN!” in big, bold letters.
“Looks like a boba place. The line’s a little long but, up to you.” Yuuki said, turning his head toward Yui.
She sniffed at the row of people. “Heh, look at all those simpletons lining up to try out the latest craze. I bet they just want an excuse to say boba.”
“So, that’s a no?”
“Yes please!” Yui threw her arms in the air, frolicking to the end of the line. She turned around, beckoning Yuuki over.
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