Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ This is Not My Life ❯ They made up their minds, and they started packing ( Chapter 3 )

"They made up their minds, and they started packing"

-AYA-

Yohji's up to something.

Wait. Maybe I shouldn't jump to conclusions. It's not fair of me to automatically assume the worst of Yohji. I should first investigate all possible alternatives.

So I take a long hard look out the window.

I'm pretty sure Hell has not frozen over yet.

Yep. Yohji's definitely up to something.

How can I be so certain of this?

Because it's 8:00 am. And Yohji's awake. He's not just awake, either, he's actually perky. Even when Yohji's scheduled for morning shifts, he always makes a point of oversleeping at least until 10. And perky? That word has never applied to him at any point in earlier than 2 pm. No-wait. There was that one time he drank eight cups of expresso...damnit. I had just succeeded in repressing that memory. Brrr.

I wonder what the cretin is up to?

He obviously thinks that being up this early is somehow going to work to his benefit. Maybe it's part of a complex plot to ensnare some bimbo he met last night. Of course, it is equally likely to be a not-so-complex plot to ditch some bimbo he met last night. With Yohji, the only set probability, is that it involves a bimbo. The womanizing asshole.

You know, I should be grateful to Yohji.

He's the one person who gives me a reason to be glad that Aya's in the hospital. I mean, if I knew that Aya and Yohji were both walking around the same city-and had the potential to actually run into one another-crap, I'd lose the ability to sleep at night.
See? I can be an optimist.

Anyway, I'm not going to acknowledge my curiosity towards his appearance. He'd just feed off the attention.

In fact, I don't even bother to look at him. I just silently hand him a list of arrangements that need to get started, and continue my futile struggle in balancing the books.

The figures simply will not add up. And I know why, too. Yohji has unquestionably been giving away too many flowers to too many girls. Damnit, doesn't he realize how much extra work that causes me? Not to mention the lost profits....Idiot.

I'd hate him, but I think he'd enjoy it.

He's like a four-year-old. Thriving on any sort of attention he can get. Positive or negative.

So I'm sitting here, not-hating-him and trying to physically injure him via evil glares.

It reminds me of this book I read Aya a really long time ago.

It was about a neglected little girl who could harness her pent-up mental frustration and use it to shoot energy out of her eyes. She learned how to move things just by looking at them. I guess that would make her...telekinetic? Anyway, Aya and I always wanted to be able to do that. But we never even tried. For one, we were far too happy for it to have worked. The girl in the book could only do it when she was miserable and angry. Besides, it was just a children's book, right? That's what I thought back then. After running into Schwartz, I'm no longer so certain about that. I've seen too much weird shit these last few years to take anything for granted.

I almost believe that if I try hard enough, I can pull it off.

So I've been practicing.

I've heard the others comment behind my back about my 'death glare.' That shows how much they know. I've never once wished any of them dead, not even that ass, Kudoh. I just enjoy mentally kicking him. And I have a lot more than just one glare, too. Right now, I'm using my will-Yohji-to-trip-over-something-and-fall-on-his-ass glare. That's one of my favorites. I also have a make-Yohji-drop-a-flowerpot-on-his-foot glare, a make-Yohji-walk-into-Ken's-hose glare, and the all-time classic, hope-Yohji-will-make-a-fool-of-himself-in-front-of-the-girls glare. Pity none of them work yet. So far my only successful glare is the make-Ken-shut-up one. That hardly requires telekinetic prowess though. I can get Ken to lose his train of thought just by glancing at him. He's a little too easily intimidated, I'd say.

I don't think I have an Omi glare. Not yet, anyway.

Yohji suddenly turns around and catches the look I've been shooting at him. And you know what he does? He smiles. The nerve of him! Has he somehow managed to build up a complete immunity to bad karma?

And now he's walking over towards me! I try glaring at him to keep him away, but it doesn't work. I really need to practice harder.

He stops a few feet in front of me and looks me right in the eye.
"I need your help with a delivery," he says to me.

Holy shit. He's actually thinking about work?! I wonder if he injured his head during the last mission.

"You don't usually need help with the deliveries," I reply suspiciously.

"We have an order to supply a party. It's more than I can handle by myself."

He waves an order form in front of my face. It seems to check out.

Hmm...I just can't shake the feeling that something's up. But I have no reason not to believe him, so I pull off my apron and reach for my keys.

"Wait. I'll drive," he says, putting his hand in the way of my path. I give him an even more suspicious look.

"They'll fit in my car better," he explains.

I shrug, and follow him to the back room to pick up the flowers. Amazingly, he's already finished all of the arrangements.

"Poppies," he says, stating the obvious. Yes, Yohji, I do believe that after two years in a flower shop I can recognize a poppy.

"They're fragile, so I need you to hold them and prevent them from jostling in the car."

Right, right. I can see that on my own. What's with the unnecessary explanations? He can't actually think that I wouldn't have known all that.

Hmn. Poppies really annoy me. They practically disintegrate at the slightest touch. Not a good choice at all for arrangements. And for a party? What were they thinking? Somebody obviously wasn't.
If I'd been the one taking the order, I would have advised them to switch to something sturdier...like carnations.
Leave it to idiot Kudoh.

Ah well. The damage has already been done. Nothing to do but make the delivery.

I barely have the first arrangement in my hands before Yohji has swooped in and grabbed the other four bunches. He cheerfully strides past me, bantering all the way to the car.

Wait...he just needed me to carry one bouquet?!

Hmm....

An alarm in my head is sounding as I follow him out of the shop.
I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

The ride takes a lot longer than I expect. Apparently this 'party' is right on the very edge of town...the wrong edge of town. This neighborhood seems a bit...sketchy.

Not a place one would expect to find a party requiring flowers. Maybe someone died, I think grimly.

Yohji pulls the car in front of a dilapidated house with the most atrocious paint job I have ever laid eyes on. Seriously. This place is neon aquamarine with sunshine yellow trim. I can just imagine my high school art teacher having a heart attack on sight.
Such dignified flowers do not deserve to end their lives in a place like this. I'm half tempted to tell Yohji to turn around because the poppies will not be happy here. But I stay silent in favor of maintaining my illusion of sanity.

I sadly inspect the crepe-like red and orange blossoms. I did a good job of holding them, not a single petal was lost. Oh well, maybe the people here are actually nice. I shouldn't judge places by their appearance.

Wait-scratch that.

The door has just opened to reveal its tenant. She's an even bigger piece of work than the house. Fluorescent pink hair plus fur coat plus hot pants over fishnets: not a formula that usually adds up to 'nice thoughtful person.' Well, not in my experience. I expect Yohji would argue with me on that one-so I won't bring it up.

She's just leaning against the door frame and toying with a pack of cigarettes. Her expression is one of such complete and utter boredom that I highly doubt that there's any brain activity going on in there at all.

When we step out of the car, there is such an immediate change in her mannerism, that for a second I actually believe that she might be a person who genuinely appreciates the virtues of flowers. Then reality sets in and I realize that her excitement was due to the flower's delivery, and not the actual flowers themselves. More specifically, she lit up on sight of Yohji.

It figures. She does seem his type.

Yohji's type being anything female that moves. He does have that whole speech about 'only being interested in girls over 18,' but I think it's mainly for show. I rather doubt he's actually that choosy.

"Yooooohjiiii!"

My thoughts are disrupted by the agonizingly syrupy voice of Miss Skank-whore.

Yohji shifts the bouquets around, freeing up a hand so that he can dramatically drape it around her neck.

"Ame!" he cries, "You are looking positively stunning this morning! But then, you always do, my bea-u-ti-ful Ame!"

I'm fighting back the urge to lose my breakfast.

Yohji removes his arm so that he can make a swooping bow as he presents the bouquets.

"Your flowers, my fair lady."

She giggles and reaches for the offering.

"Oh Yohji! They're lovely! I always did love tulips!"

I give Yohji an incredulous look.

He coughs. "They're...uh, poppies...actually."

Miss Skank-whore -or should I say Ame-furrows her brow in apparently deep thought. I can practically see the hamster wheel in her head slowing down, as she tries to remember what a 'poppy' is.

"Right...." she mumbles doubtfully, "That's right...I ordered...poppies..."
She still looks a bit confused.

"Well, anyway," she adds hopefully, "you are going to stay for the party, aren't you Yohji love?"

Ah, it all makes sense now. The flowers served no purpose other then to lure Yohji to the party. Damn, and I thought those giggling schoolgirls were pathetic.

I open my mouth with the intent to announce that Yohji has to work, but the strangest thing happens.

Yohji actually beats me to it!

"Alas! Although it breaks my heart to do so, I am afraid I must decline your kind invitation!" he says, almost sincerely. "There's simply too many orders awaiting me at work."

"But Yoh-jiiiii," she pouts, "it's hardly worth having a party, if you won't be there!"

"I know, and it truly injures me to do this to you," he continues, "but I really can't get off today."

He leans in closer to her ear, and touches her chin. "But don't you worry, we can have a private party later on to make it up. Just the two of us."

Ugh. Now I seriously am nauseous. Is Yohji for real?

Miss Skank-whore giggles and attempts to pull a menacing look.

"I'm gonna hold you to that, mister," she says, finger pointing at Yohji's nose.

"I wouldn't dream of disappointing you," he replies, making another theatrical bow before waving and hopping in the car.

I have the decency to wait until both doors are shut before insulting him.

"You don't seriously talk to all girls like that, do you?"

"Like what?" he asks, innocently.

"Like you just fell out of the seventeenth century, and landed on your head."

"They like it when you talk like that. They think it's romantic."

"Oh, give me a break." I say, indignantly, "No intelligent girl would seriously fall for that."

"Intelligent girls want commitment," Yohji states, as if this were a glaringly obvious point, which he was disappointed in me for overlooking.

"Oh that's right," I mumble, "I forgot for a second who I was talking too."

Instead of replying, he just gives me a skeptical 'who are you to judge' look. Oh please.

Silence resumes for a couple of minutes, until my curiosity begins to get the better of me.

"Sooo...." I begin, "Are you actually going to see her again?"

"I don't know...." he pauses for a second, apparently lost in thought, "It depends, really...."

"Depends on what?" I hear myself wonder aloud. Why am I asking? I don't actually care....

"Oh, it's not important," he replies, looking a little bit wistful.

Strange. Yohji is definitely acting very un-Yohji-like. Normally he would have seized the opportunity to make me uncomfortable by explicitly describing all the things he had planned to do with his date. I hope this lasts a while. A quiet and un-cocky Yohji is certainly an improvement.

The conversation dropped, I take a moment to glance out the window. Waaaaaiiit a minute...something is very wrong here. The mountains are looking a lot closer than they ought to...and where are all the buildings? We aren't heading back into the city at all! What's Yohji up to?!

"Why are we leaving the city?!" I demand.

"I need a vacation," he answers, very matter-of-factly.

"What?!"

"I want to see the country," he continues, "I need a reminder of why it's worth doing what we do."

"So you planned to just take off in the middle of a work day, with no hint of where you've gone?!"

"Yep."

"And just when did you plan on taking me home?" I ask, accusingly.

"Actually, I was hoping for some company," he casually states.

"Stop the car."

He slows down and pulls off to the shoulder of the road. I begin reaching for the door handle.

"You're free to go," he says, nervously tapping the steering wheel with his fingers, "but if you do...I might not come back."

"What? Is that some sort of threat?!" Despite my low opinion of him, I had not expected he would stoop to such childish levels.

"No," he answers, "I'm just really tired of everything...I expect...that it will be too hard to come back...without a reason to."

"So don't leave," I mumble, closing my grip around the handle.

"I have to," he says, "I know I'll do something stupid if I don't get away for a while. I'm afraid I'll end up hurting Weiß."

I'm willing my hand to open the door, but it won't obey me. It just stays stupidly suspended on the handle.

Seconds turn into minutes. I don't know how long I sit there gripping the handle. Maybe five minutes, maybe twenty. I don't understand why I can't seem to open the door.

I finally give up and release my grip.

"I'm not staying," I clarify to him, "I just won't go quite yet."

Visible relief washes over him.

"You have to let me out the second I ask though," I add, "because I'm leaving soon. Very soon."

"As you wish," he cheerfully replies.

Another twenty minutes or so of silence slides by, before something occurs to me.

"Why me?" I ask.

He seems surprised that I would ask this.

"You were the unhappiest."