no nene!!! dont go emo!!!

by supersneakysnail6000 (burner_930)

Summary:

an irl dared me to write fanfic and we ended up with akinene fake dating

i have never done this b4 please dont yell at me thank you

He sighed, tapping his chopsticks against the bowl, impatiently. "We're just trying to support you."
"All you're doing is stifling me, this isn't going to-"
"Don't talk back to me!"
She bit her tongue. "Listen, I don't have any free time as it is. Going to a tutor isn't going to help me, I don't need remedial help. Sure, I dropped a few tests, but-"
"-but, those affect your grade, don't they?"
"I'm taking credit next year, not grade, Dad, you know this. It won't matter in the long run."
"Hm." He frowned. "And you're sure about this."
"I have had a full-time job as an actress and an ambassador at fricking Phennyland for two years. I'm taking on more responsibility next year. I won't pass grade, not next year."
"Which is why you need a tutor."
"The problem isn't that I can't do the content, it's that there aren't enough hours in a day!"
"Lower your voice. You're getting hysterical."
"I can't do this." She drew herself up, taking her bowl, as the chair screamed against the cold, wood-panelled floor in the silence. Turning on her heel, she marched out and upstairs, though the moment she was out of sight, tears sprung into her eyes.
Maybe he was right. In that she was hysterical, at least.
She tried to close her door softly. It was a little too loud.
She tried to set her bowl down gently. It clinked on the fake wood.
She tried to eat. She almost threw up.
She sighed, landing face down into her bed, before immediately rolling over and pulling out her phone, scrolling through her playlists. None of them stood out to her. Her showtunes inspiration playlist, for one, needed updating, and she wasn't in the mood to write anything anyway. Her game ost playlist wasn't fast-paced enough, she used it for studying and intentionally put slow bgm, rather than, say, Cynthia's theme. The playlist she made with Rui wasn't what she wanted either - she wanted something different. She needed something to change.
She sat up straight. That was it. she had to change something, and not to appease them - she had to… annoy them? break their rules?
…what rules did they even have?
She was only allowed one set of earrings, and no tattoos or other body modifications until she was 18. That's pretty reasonable. No underage drinking, no drugs - not really things she wanted to do on a whim. Parties hadn't ever been her style. No dating, Don't fail school? Pretty big things to commit to just to piss off her parents. No swearing in public (read: in front of them) -- they'd already made an exception for when she was on stage, and her part required it, though she'd yet to exploit it.
She knew who to go to when she didn't have ideas. It's been drilled into her as a kid, and even more as of late. The number one idea man, Kamishiro Rui.
She checked the clock. a little before 8pm. Yeah, he wouldn't be too engrossed in anything this early.

//my favourite bastard
bangbangbitch: rui
bangbangbitch: rui
bangbangbitch: rui
explosion_man: why hello, nene~
bangbangbitch: as the resident expert in pissing people off
bangbangbitch: how do i do it
explosion_man: who?
bangbangbitch: parents ("-_-)
explosion_man: whose?
bangbangbitch: …mine?
explosion_man: i never thought this day would come~
explosion_man: rubbing my hands together mischievously
bangbangbitch: im scared
explosion_man: they dont have particularly many rules to break
explosion_man: i know you wont want to get a tattoo at least
explosion_man: you wont escape tsukasa if you do drugs or drink
explosion_man: the only other option i can think of it to get a gf
explosion_man: hard ask for you, hehe~
bangbangbitch: same conclusion i came to
bangbangbitch: also, rude
explosion_man: so~
explosion_man: do you like anyone, oor~
bangbangbitch: no
bangbangbitch: i think you also forgot im not out to them
explosion_man: ah.
explosion_mah: you could just come out to them then
bangbangbitch: i wanna do that for the right reasons though
explosion_man: fair
explosion_man: i see why youre stumped
explosion_man: you could fake date someone
bangbangbitch: whod agree to that
bangbangbitch: guys only. i can see your typing bubble i know youre making a list
explosion_man: ah~ you caught me
explosion_man: tsukasa would agree
bangbangbitch: im not doing that to you
explosion_man: thank fuck
explosion_man: emu would, but
bangbangbitch: not a guy.
bangbangbitch: i also dont want to ruin what we have and i think her brothers would actually.
bangbangbitch: kill me for lack of a better word
explosion_man: im sure mizuki would but, same problem
explosion_man: hell, i would
bangbangbitch: too awkward. tsukasa would fall for it.
explosion_man: …ah.
bangbangbitch: also my parents know u gay
explosion_man: thats one way of phrasing it
explosion_man: i know! what if i ask the kamikou server?
bangbangbitch: NO.
bangbangbitch: RUI.
bangbangbitch: GET BACK HERE
bangbangbitch: you owe me
explosion_man: fufu~ i think you owe me

//Kamikou Cool Kids
Kamishiro Rui: anyone interested in fake dating my wonderful junior, kusanagi nene?
Kusanagi Nene: RUI.
Kusanagi Nene: ignore him, sorry
Akiyama Mizuki: no no, i wanna hear whats going on
Kusanagi Nene: nothing is going on
Kamishiro Rui: we're trying to piss off nene's parents, for lack of a better word
Akiyama Mizuki: ooh~ sounds fun~
Kusanagi Nene: nothing is happening we are not doing anything
Akiyama Mizuki: id fake date you, nene!
Kamishiro Rui: told you
Kusanagi Nene: unforch the position is only open to guys​
Akiyama Mizuki: so this is happening!
Tenma Tsukasa: This server is for school-related matters only! Please stop discussing personal matters here.
Akiyama Mizuki: buzzkiller
Kusanagi Nene: no its not, but if it was, it would only be open to guys
Shiraishi An: nene arent you literally gay
Shiraishi An: i feel i must preface i am a homosexual
Shiraishi An: !! i am not homophobic i am a woman enjoyer !!
Kusanagi Nene: bi and im not out to my parents
Shiraishi An: ahh okay
Tenma Tsukasa: Please stop discussing personal matters…
Akiyama Mizuki: tsukasa would you be interested in fake dating nene?
Tenma Tsukasa: Well, that's rather sudden..!
Tenma Tsukasa: Oh. That's what the personal matter was.
Kusanagi Nene: learn to backread
Kusanagi Nene: also i already vetod tsukasa
Kusanagi Nene: i want it to be believable
Kusanagi Nene: i would never date him
Tenma Tsukasa: That's quite rude, Nene!
Akiyama Mizuki: anyone else online?
Kamishiro Rui: i am but ive also been vetoed, unforch…
Kusanagi Nene: yeah dont just start this whole mess then disappear you bastard
Tenma Tsukasa: Language..!
Kusanagi Nene: japanese
Kamishiro Rui: japanese
Akiyama Mizuki: japanese
Shiraishi An: japanese
Shiraishi An: to answer your question zuki i think toyas lurking
Shiraishi An: @Aoyagi Toya show your face
Aoyagi Toya: Ah, yes, I am online. Unforch, I cannot offer my services - as much as I love to peeve off parents, I would not be comfortable in that arrangement.
Shiraishi An: ah well
Akiyama Mizuki: is piss too much of a swear for you or smth??
Kusanagi Nene: seems like this is a bust. thanks guys
Akiyama Mizuki: actually i know one other guy in this server that you know too
Shiraishi An: are we thinking of the same chronically single bisexual
Akiyama Mizuki: no one want him frfr
Akiyama Mizuki: yes i am
Shiraishi An: should i do the honours
Akiyama Mizuki: be my guest
Shiraishi An: @Shinonome Akito
Shiraishi An: akitooooo
Shiraishi An: @Shinome Akito
Akiyama Mizuki: @Shinome Akito
Shiraishi An: i forgot he never responds to us
Akiyama Mizuki: mm that bastard
Tenma Tsukasa: Language..!
Akiyama Mizuki: japanese
Shiraishi An: japanses
Aoyagi Toya: It's an automated response, triggered by certain words.
Aoyagi Toya: Responding literally won't do anything to deter it.
Shiraishi An: ive had a wonderful idea
Shiraishi An: toya ping akito pretty please
Aoyagi Toya: Alright, though I don't think it'll do anything.
Aoyagi Toya: @Shinonome Akito
Shinonome Akito: hi toya whats up
Akiyama Mizuki: HAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA
Shinonome Akito: backreading stfu
Shinonome Akito: i never want to read teh word "unforch" again. when did toya start saying that.
Shiraishi An: imma start saying unforch to mess wit u
Shinonome Akito: i hate you so much
Shinonome Akito: okay so youre trying to rope me into some fake dating bullshit?
Tenma Tsukasa: Language..!
Shinonome Akito: japanese
Shiraishi An: japanses
Akiyama Mizuki: japanese
Aoyagi Toya: What did I say?
Shinonome Akito: honestly why not
Shinonome Akito: not like im doing anything important
Shiraishi An: WAIT WHAT REALLY
Akiyama Mizuki: NO WAY
Shiraishi An: is throwing bricks at arata not important??
Aoyagi Toya: …I don't think Kusanagi and Kamishiro are online any more.
Shiraishi An: @Kusanagi Nene we scored you a boyfriend
Kusanagi Nene: wait really/
Kusanagi Nene: thanks so much shinonome
Kusanagi Nene: ill dm u in a sec
Akiyama Mizuki: lil bro is no longer ridiculously single!!
Shinonome Akito: i was no more single than you??
Shinonome Akito: and its fake dating
Shiraishi An: ohohohohohohohoho im telling kohane and kotaro rn
Akiyama Mizuki: whatever
Akiyama Mizuki: @Shinonome Ena your dumbass brother got a girlfriend
Shinonome Akito: do you have to do this
Shinonome Ena: who the FUCK is pinging me at this ungodly hour
Tenma Tsukasa: Language..!
Shinonome Ena: mizuki im not talking to you for a week
Shinonome Ena: japanese
Akiyama Mizuki: japanese
Kusanagi Nene japanese
Shiraishi An: japanese
Shinonome Akito: japanese
Aoyagi Toya: It's fruitless…
Shinonome Ena: whos the unlucky girl
Kusanagi Nene: thatd be me
Shinonome Ena: oh youre a gamer
Shinonome Ena: maybe he has more taste than i gave him credit for
Shinonome Akito: first rude
Shinonome Akito: second my taste is amazing youre the one with kpop posters or wtv
Shinonome Akito: third i literally play sonic
Shinonome Akito: fourth its fake dating
Akiyama Mizuki: does lil bro not like kpop??
Shinonome Ena: ive tried educating him
Shinonome Ena: kusanagi if he messes up lemme know ill whack him for you
Kusanagi Nene: thank you?

 

//fake boyfriend??
bangbangbitch: so. uh.
bangbangbitch: hiya
broken_record: hey
broken_record: how is this gonna work
bangbangbitch: i have no idea this was an impulse decicion
bangbangbitch: ig we just. hang out as friends. but more?
broken_record: yeah that works
broken_record: ur cool so like im chill w that
bangbangbitch: alright cool
bangbangbitch: youre cool too ftr
bangbangbitch: ig we should get to know each other a little more
broken_record: yah probs
broken_record: whats ur favourite colour
bangbangbitch: teal. u?
broken_record: wait is ur hair dyed then?
bangbangbitch: nah it was originally a bleach job gone bad bc i didnt get toner
bangbangbitch: but i kept it idk
broken_record: no shot
bangbangbitch: is urs dyed? i always kinda assumed it was
broken_record: sorta? like its naturally ginger but i make it neon
bangbangbitch: whys there a piss yellow streak then
broken_record: it moves every time and i cant get rid ofit and i dont know why
bangbangbitch: are you being haunted by a hair dye ghost
broken_record: i dont know. probably
broken_record i have a sister does that count
bangbangbitch: she ddi threaten to punch you like. ten minutes ago
bangbangbitch: what do u do in ur free time
broken_record: honestly im very boring
broken_record: i have practice for my music group and thats like it
broken_record: i play some videogames a little but other than that not much
bangbangbitch: oh which ones
broken_record: sonic mostly
bangbangbitch: ..is the hair bc of tails
broken_record: u r officially the first person to figure it out
bangbangbitch: NO FUCKING WAY OMFG
broken_record: whaddya do in ur free time then
bangbangbitch: ia m a weird theater kid lmao
broken_record: o ya with the weirdo combo
bangbangbitch: hey :(
bangbangbitch: theyre my friends
broken_record: i am 85% certain they would take that as a compliment
bangbangbitch: true
broken_record: hey given we both do music shit
broken_record: we could make playlists 4 each other or smth
bangbangbitch: sound cool gimme maybe 5?
broken_record: ::thumbsup::
She had to be careful here. She didn't want to fuck this up so soon. Eventually, she settled on a variety of vocaloid songs, including a few she knew his group had covered, though she wasn't sure how "street style" they were. She fleshed it out with showtunes, and then very carefully selected a few game osts to sprinkle on top. Rihan's battle theme from SwSh just felt right, among the electronic feel she'd established, then- no. That's enough. 18 tracks. That looked about right. Probably. Hopefully.
bangbangbitch: link
broken_record sweet
broken_record ill check it out later
broken_record heres mine
broken_record link
bangbangbitch: ty!
broken_record ill drop off now
broken_record see you tmrw ig
bangbangbitch: gn
bangbangbitch: am i supposed to put a heart at the end or what
broken_record: idk do what you want
broken_record: im not gonna insist on anything
broken_record: well. gn

She took a deep breath.
What the everloving fuck had she just done.
Oh, she had to tell Emu.

 

--

 

Her phone rang out. She jumped up, scrambling halfway across her room (and only knocking over four piles of precariously balanced Things!!) and landing belly-down on her bed with a flop, catching the phone as it bounced twice, in sync with her, clicking the accept call button with a grin. "Konnichi-wandahoi, Nene-chan!! OOooh, did you get that history test I helped you study for back?! How'd you do, how'd you do!?!"
Nene rarely matched her energy, and today was no exception. "No, no, not that. I, um, maybe slightly a little bit- uh, um,.."
"Stop stalling!!! Tell me tell me tell me tell me!!" she grinned harder, giggling. Whatever Nene'd deemed important enough to call her over, it was probably sooooo~ cool and awesome and wonderhoy. She just haaaaaaad to know, right now.
A familiar fond smile spread across her friend's face. "I, um, got a boyfriend?"
She gasped. That was, um, unexpected. "Aren't you gay?"
"No, no, no, no, it's-" she slowed, taking a breath. The heat rising up her neck and cheeks really wasn't helping the situation. "It's, uh, fake-dating. To annoy our parents."
"OOooooooooooooooh, Nene's goot a booooooyfriend~" she teased, giggling. "I wanna hear aaaaall about him!!"
"Wha- well, um, what do you want to know?"
"Everything!!" Sparkles lit up in her eyes, rolling over so she was holding the phone above her head, arms extended. "What does he look like?"
"Wh-ell, he's, um, taller than Tsukasa, though that's not hard… He's ginger, but, uh, wait." she paused. "You've met him!"
She gasped. "I have!?"
"Y-yeah, the guy on Toya's team at that arcade competition."
She thought for a second. "OOooooo~, Shino-no-no-no-no-no-no-nome-kuun!!"
"Yep. That guy."
She frowned. "Isn't he, like, really mean? If he does anything to you-"
"No no no no no , it's not like that. He, um, he pretends to be really nice in front of people he doesn't know, but he's mean if he likes you, but he's actually really kind and supportive and hark-working and stuff under that."
Emu raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like you genuinely like him."
"As a friend!" She countered defensively. "We're not dating for real, and we're not going to date for real."
"Uh-huh." She grinned. "I'll design the wedding invites."
"Sh-SHUT UP!" Her hands were doing nothing to hide the blush that'd long-since filled her face with a crimson hue. She sighed. "Do you want to hear about him or not?"
She shuffled back onto her side, smiling fondly. "Keep talking."

 

--

 

She sat in her form room -- his form room, too -- frantically tapping her foot, waiting for him to arrive. She wanted to talk to him, figure out what the fuck's going on with this. She wasn't sure if it was just her, but she almost felt like everyone in the room was eyeing the door, waiting for him, watching her. She guessed they'd all backread the group chat, too. Oh, why'd Rui have to-
He burst in, just as the bell went. Oh, for fuck's sake. She wouldn't get to talk to him this morning at all.
He didn't even look at her, though maybe that was the fact he had less than two minutes to get halfway across the school.
…right?

85 minutes and 21 seconds later, she followed An out of her Literature class, a few steps behind, glancing over her shoulder to see if she could spot him. Though, following An was likely the best idea - she strode over towards the tree she sat by every day, Shinonome and Toya already there.
She waited nervously, before heading over only a minute or so after An. "Ahem. May I sit with you?"
"Hm? Oh, yeah." Shinonome shuffled to the side, patting the ground next to him, before taking an abnormally large bite of his onigiri.
An and Toya looked between her, him, and each other, making a silent decision.
Toya stood up first. "I do apologise, Kusanagi, I have library duty." He silently strode off, picking up his bag.
An jumped up. "Yep! I promised I'd help out, sorry!" She squeezed Nene's shoulder as she bounded past, a fake smile plastered across her face. "Have fun, you two!"
The moment they were out of earshot, Shinonome sighed. "Fucking liers. I know for a fact Toya's library duty is Wednesdays and Fridays. It's always been Wednesdays and Fridays. It is not Wednesday or Friday." He glanced at her. "Unless I'm very wrong about something."
"Nope, I'm… pretty sure it's Thursday."
"They just want to spy on us."
"I think you're right."
"Well?" He glanced up. "Are you gonna sit down, or..?"
She sat down, awkwardly. "So… what's up, Shinonome?"
"Are you really gonna keep calling me by my last name?"
God, he's blunt.
"I, uh, didn't want to assume…"
"Akito. Call me Akito."
"Oh, okay, Akito." The syllables tasted wrong in her mouth. "I guess, um, you call me Nene?"
"Aight." He took another bite.
Hurriedly, she scrambled to take out her own food.
He raised an eyebrow, swallowing. "Why do you look so stressed out?"
"I, uh, I don't want to.. make a bad impression..?" Now she said it out loud, she realised just how dumb she sounded. He'd agreed to fake-date her.
Almost as if reading her mind, he frowned. "I wouldn't have agreed to do this if I didn't like you as a friend."
They sat in silence for a little while, eating their meals, in comfortable silence, shoulders brushing.
As they finished up, she tried to restart the conversation. "What are you doing after school today?"
"Uuuhh…" he paused, thinking. "I have practice, as usual, then me and Toya have a show, I think. Actually, I probably need to, y'know, find out what he picked for the set list." He pulled out his phone, tapping out a message as he talked. "'s'not a solo, we're doing… only 'bout 3 songs, I think. Buncha people gonna be there but no one I really know. You?"
"I just have rehearsals, then homework, I guess." She mused. "How do you keep on top of it all?"
"I don't. I take remedial classes for, like, everything."
"That… yeah, that tracks. How does Toya do it? Or An?"
"An's in remedial with me and Toya doesn't sleep, I think. Either that or he's like, actually got time travel."
"I wouldn't be surprised."
"Mm. Given he probably won't get home 'till maybe 11, and yet he never hands in a single thing late. Or half-assed, for that matter." He mumbled.
"11?" She tilted her head like a curious cat. That seemed… late, to say the least, especially every night. "How late does your practice run?"
"Oh, only until about 8. But we're on at…" he scrolled up on his DMs, finding something. "...10 past 10, I think. Prolly won't stay for the whole thing after that, though. I really don't give a shit."
She thought for a second. She could, in theory, go to the show.
Why the fuck not. She's doing new things. She's fake-dating a guy. Why not go to his music show?
"When's it start?"
"Uh, about half 9, I think? Why?"
"Would you kill me if I went?"
He frowned. "That's not a normal way to phrase that. But no. It's free an' shit."
"..I more meant I would be going straight from rehearsals. In a horrific theatre kid outfit."
"Do I look like I care?"
"Yes."
"Well damn. I do. Not too much though. Wear what you want." He stood up, brushing off his totally-not-contraband hoodie. "See ya around."
He turned just as the bell went, flashing her a smile. A genuine one.
Nene sat there for a solid three seconds before scrambling to sprint up three flights of stairs to the Computer Labs.
--

Even after all these years, there was something new to feel in every performance. That splash of green, those lilac eyes trained on him like a fucken sniper rifle -- he winked at her, but, oh, mother of fuck. He stumbled, regaining his footing as Toya glanced over, concerned. Why. Why, oh why, would she willingly wear that .
Whatever piss-poor excuse for a god was listening, could you give him a fucking break?

She'd awkwardly sidled over towards the backstage door outside the venue by the time they'd managed to leave 

 

He ignored everything she'd said. "What on earth are you wearing."
She shrugged. "I warned you."
He blinked twice. He was going to have to black this out of his memory, huh. "Are you free on saturday?"
"Wha-huh? Wh-where'd this come from?"
"We're going shopping."
Oh. She sighed, resigning herself. "Fine."
Toya frowned. "Akito, that's not very kind."
"What? I'm right, we need to fix," he gestured vaguely in her direction, "this."
"Ow."
"A good boyfriend should support his partner, including in questionable fashion choices."
He spluttered -- "We're not actually dating, you- you know that, right?"
"Okay, Akito. If you say so." He smiled softly to himself, turning to Nene. "He did the exact same thing when he first met me, don't worry." he paused. "Forced me to go shopping, I mean."
"Oi. You looked like you'd never left your house without parental supervision."
Toya raised a singular eyebrow.
Akito shut up.

--

 

"Oh, uh, Akito-" she caught his sleeve just as he was about to leave.
"Ooooh~" An teased as she walked past, knocking him the the shoulder. "I'll leave you lovebird be~"
He flipped her off. "What's up?" He gestured for her to walk with him -- clearly he didn't want to be later than An.
"Could I swing by yours after practice? I have a, um, favour to ask…"
"Yeah, that's fine by me. What, though?"
"Would you, um, pierce my tongue?"
He stopped dead. "What the fuck?"
"Okay, I can explain-"
"Absolutely not."
"Toya said you can do piercings-"
" Ear piercings, yeah. Not that. Plus," he glanced over to her, as they kept walking, "you've only got firsts. Those don't hurt."
"I'd disagree."
He rolled his eyes. "You have a low pain tolerance, then. You probably shouldn't get even cartilage, let alone muscle. " he paused. "Did you think this through? Like, at all?"
"..no."
"Any, y'know, reason ?"
"Pissing off my parents has been fun. I wanna do it more."
"Fair enough." He nodded. "We'll finish up around eight, as usual."
"I'll meet you at Weekend Garage."

 

"Annnnn' done." He clipped the second black, metallic stud to the back of her ear. "Tadah! Seconds."
She smiled, tilting her head in different directions in the mirror. "I like it."
"Good. Not exactly reversible."
"Hm, no."
He squeezed her shoulder, drawing up. "Keep those in for 6 weeks, yeah?"
"Yep." She grabbed her phone, taking a quick selfie (with Akito very much visible) and sending it to the Wonder Stage groupchat.
"Emu asks, "Is that Shinononononononome-kuun?"."
"I think it's pronounced "Shinonome"."
"I'll let her know."
He glanced over her shoulder as she was typing. "Tell Tenma that you have to have sterile titanium studs for 6 weeks. He's not putting feathers in an open wound."
"I'll tell him."
"You better. Sheesh, is it only quarter past nine?"
"Hm?" She glanced back at him. "Is there something you wanna do?"
"I didn't really have anything planned this evening, but, like… if you're here, kinda boring to just do homework."
"I really don't mind. I am willing to bet money you haven't touched your English."
He winced. "Shush."
"It's first thing tomorrow-"
"I'll copy up Toya's in mornin', it's fine."
"Shinonome Akito-"
"Don't full name me. I'm trying to ask if you wanna go see a live."
She paused. "Do you have one in mind?"
"Nope." He fished out his own phone, scrolling through his notifications on his lockscreen. Clearly, he never cleared them. "An's shift finishes in 15, though. If we run, we can catch her and I'm sure she's goin' somewhere tonight." He looked up, grinning. "You down?"
"Sure, why not?" She stood up. "Am I dressed appropriately?"
He furrowed his brow. "Three secs."
She sighed, somewhat fondly, as he disappeared into the cacophony known as his room, following three steps behind. Posters lined the walls floor-to-ceiling, and a few of them even spilled over, his bisexual flag hanging over half his window to act as a permanent curtain, after he got his old ones confiscated for reasons unknown. Neither he nor Ena-san would elaborate.
He kicked aside his copy of the text they were annotating in Literature (surprisingly, she could see dense words lining the margins and a few post-it notes), examining two near-identical belts. The only difference Nene could discern was the frequency of the cut-out circles rimmed in silver plastic.
He glanced up, acknowledging her presence. "I'm glad you're wearing some of the stuff we bought on Saturday. That makes this easier to work with." He pulled out a few things from a drawer, though she never saw them closely. "Hm, not your size." He mused. "One sec. ENAA!" He strode out of his room, leaving her to poke about, as if she knew what she was doing.
She shuffled through a few items. God, outfit design was Rui's job, not hers! She was most certainly out of her depth - at least at the stores, Akito was there. Sure, this was his room, and she could just wait.
Wait.
This was his room. Wasn't she supposed to poke around and look at his stuff? Isn't that what nosy girlfriends do? She's already kinda doing that, though.
Before she could consider further action, Akito returned. "Here," he grunted, pushing a pile into her hands. "Be quick. Don't wanna keep An waiting."
"Wait, did you tell her we're going?"
"Nah, but like, she's psychic. She'll know."
"How-"
"Just change!"
"Fine!" She shuffled into the bathroom, hopping between garments as quickly as humanly possible. Good thing she had experience with quick costume changes, given the Wonder Stage only had four performers.
When she opened the door, he was tapping his foot, though performatively, smirking slightly. "Go on, spin."
She obliged. The half-skirt he'd picked out didn't exactly fly out, pleated dark-brown tweed reaching to her left mid-thigh with the right side remaining as practical black shorts riding about an inch higher, fake buttons running along the front seams. He'd left her upper half intact, long black sleeves under a maroon graphic tee, and the addition of knee-high black socks and one of the hanging belts from before, along with her standard platform stompers (at least, standard since Saturday) she looked… pretty emo.
She articulated this concern. He waved it off, telling her it's far better than being confused with a theatre kid.
She decided to keep her mouth shut on the topic of fashion from there on out. Emo was pretty alright, when she thought about it.

--

 

//Kamikou Cool Kids

Kamishiro Rui: [An attached image. Nene is sitting on a desk, likely Rui's, with her back turned to the camera, and is holding her phone. Her hair is tied back into a sleek ponytail, and is slightly shiny, as if she got rained on. She's smiling quietly to herself, and her cheeks are tinged a little pink, as though it was cold and she'd just come inside. Her phone is open on her DMs to a contact named "beef", who's just sent her a 0.5 photo of himself. His wildly orange hair is slightly damp, it looks to be raining in the photo, a few streets away from Kamikou. Some parts of the caption can just about be made out, reading; "...latw…omw". In front of Nene, and halfway out of the frame, someone who vaguely resembles Tenma Tsukasa has taken off their blazer and jumper, and is doing push-ups with someone vaguely resembling Miyake Hibiki sitting cross-legged on their back. It's not in focus, though, so you can't be sure.]
Kamishiro Rui: I think our favourite juniors might be dating for real, fufu~
Akiyama Mizuki: i fucking KNEW IT
Shiraishi An: no fuking way
Tenma Tsukasa: Language..!
Shiraishi An: hes never hearing the end of this
Tenma Tsukasa: Language..!
Akiyama Mizuki: he got shogun manga'd
Shiraishi An: lmaoooo
Shiraishi An: he isnt even here yet i cant poke fun at him
Shiraishi An: @Shinonome Akito youve been revealed
Shinonome Akito: wtf
Shinonome Akito: backreading one sec
Shinonome Akito: @Kusanagi Nene WHY IS MY NAME BEEF IN YOUR PHONR????
Kusanagi Nene: yknow,, like bf,,,
Akiyama Mizuki: oh my fucking god can you not be sappy in the gc
Tenma Tsukasa: Language..!
Shiraishi An: im really nto surprised about this development me and toya had a bet going on how long it would take
Shiraishi An: i think toya won
Kamishiro Rui: nene has spent the last month or so wearing shinonomes clothes im very unsurprised
Akiyama Mizuki: she WHAT
Kamishiro Rui: inhumane amount of belts, methinks
Shiraishi An: omfg is that how she got my jacket
Akiyama Mizuki: side eyeing u rn an. hes taken
Shiraishi An: stfu hes been stealing my clothes for years
Shiraishi An: we have a system
Tenma Tsukasa: Update! Shinonome has burst into our form room, where Nene is situated, and is attempting to get her to change his name in her phone! It is not working!
Akiyama Mizuki: they are literally in the same form wtf
Shiraishi An: did neither of them coem see me im offended
Akiyama Mizuki: dw an!! me and toya will keep you company
Aoyagi Toya: I am physically restraining them currently, as the bell has already gone and we are not permitted to leave our form room.

Aoyagi Toya: This means I have taken their bow and am holding it above their head because they cannot leave without it, apparently.
Tenma Tsukasa: My beloved juniors, the bell has gone! Get off your phones! I will escort our lovely couple back to the correct form room.

An watched the door with barely concealed glee. She now had ample teasing material. Akito. Her favourite Ginger Fucker™ had a girlfriend. Because - in Mizuki's words - he got shogun manga'd. That was fucking hilarious.
What was not fucking hilarious was Tenma's expression, as he dropped the pair back in the correct classroom with all the dignity of an angry cat holding his two kids by the scruff of their necks. It fell somewhere between disgust and disappointment.
She drew up from her desk, somewhat in awe - whatever Tenma had said had shook them to the core, evident from the way they hung their heads.
"So, um. Whatdya say to 'em? To, y'know…" she gestured vaguely in the direction of the despondent pair.
"I reminded them that overtly romantic gestures are not permitted on school property, as they are often a distraction to those around them, and I have increased that measure for them specifically for a fortnight."
"Translation?"
"They are banned from holding hands in public for two weeks."
An doubled over laughing. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Akito was a pretty affectionate guy, especially physically - between him and Kohane, she was practically swamped half the time. Nene tended to prefer more discreet methods. Of course they were constantly holding hands. Akito held random people's hands all the time, they could get away with it! And- and Tenma'd done the unthinkable, picked up on it and banned it!
She whipped out her phone to tell the group chat.
Tenma glared at her. "No phones in school. The bell's rung. Honestly, as a former hall monitor, I'd expect better from you." He plucked it from her hands. "You can collect this at the end of the day."
She slunk back to her desk, humbled, as he turned and left.
"Not so funny now, is it?" Akito hissed.
"No, your predicament still is."
"I would've told you, An. He's just a bastard." Nene cut in.
"Like you're one to talk, miss foul-mouthed and unsociable."
"Honestly, from the way you two talk, I'd've never guessed."
She rolled her eyes. "What, is he not like this with everyone?"
"No, he is, but I'd just thought he might be nicer to, y'know…"
he scoffed. "You can say the word, An. 's not like you're the first to know."
"Who knew?" she exclaimed. "Like, I guess you told Nene's parents, but it wasn't real then."
"Toya." they answered, in unison.
"That… makes so much sense." She paused. "Wait, if he knew, our bet was for nothing. That bastard."
"Mm. Mutual close friend. Also has my phone password and is a nosy bitch."
She whacked him in the arm. "He's not a bitch. He is nosy, though. He likes being all up in everyone else's business."
"That's why he lurks in so many servers." An agreed.
"Going back to phones. Please change my name to anything other than "beef"..."
"Oi, Nene, what about "jackass"?"
"That's significantly better."
"Hm. I was thinking "boytoy"."
An started wheezing, once again.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT." Terror sparked in his eyes. "Please, no-"
"Am I wrong?"
"YES???"

Notes:

katie go fuck yourself i cant believe you forced me to do this. i will sign in for momojan yuri duty tomorrow.
ao3 hates me personally it fucked up my formatting
im never doing technical grammar voluntarily again you will be getting lower case.
i was gonna add my akiemu besties agenda but i forgot and im lazy (i also intended to add the actually shopping totally not a date but again i am lazy)
i want to make it very clear: at the rad dogs performance nene is in her jtb unit outfit.

is this when youre supposed to trauma dump to the readers. 4 major figures in my life died in the last 2 months and im being forced to drop a subject due to the Disorders And Disorganisation™