SuNNY-ShO-ShUN 黒潮

*Obstacle*

Shota was back, and his fans were in repentance, for they had sinned. His groupies doubled efforts to make amends for their devotion drift during their absence.

Haruka felt relieved of being able to open his locker without having hemp of love letters falling out. He still had one problem, the girl did not listen to his warning, and he kept dreading what was to come.

Shota's mother was a dragon. If she were to find out about Sunny, hell would break loose. How was Haruka to make Sunny understand that the relationship was more than just dangerous; it was life-threatening?

Haruka passed Shota and the group in the corridor as if they were strangers.

Yuta frowned at Haruka's attitude, "Matsumoto San, isn't that boy, your friend?"

"Haruka San doesn't like being in groups," Sunny answered in his stead.

"I didn't ask you," Yuta retorted before going separate ways.

"Ja mata, I'll be going to too," said Madoka leaving Shota and Sunny to enter the class.

They both took their seats without breaking their smiling gaze at one another. Once Sunny was at her desk, she caught Asano San staring at her. She smiled at the pretty girl as a greeting. Asano San just turned her head without replying with a smile of the same intent, leaving Sunny a little perplexed.

Sunny tried to hold her usual chats with Asano San throughout the day, but something was different. The school's idol appeared to be forcing on her tatemae. She held up a public face, which made Sunny uneasy; she reflected on Asano's San's attitude all day.

Being Japanese isn't easy; you must speak and act a certain way. Even your body's language has to reply to the customs, and depending on your status, the rules and sanctions are more severe, thought Sunny.

Sometimes Sunny felt lucky; some people forgave her lack of politeness, shrugging off her errors, saying, "she's a foreigner." Others were cruel, estimating she had to double up to fit in. This reaction made Sunny wonder how it must be for Asano to live up to people's expectations, always holding in her desires. Never genuinely expressing her whims, was the pretty girl happy?

It was with this thought school ended.

°°°°

Where do you want to go today? Shota asked.

The group of students was lucky, they had good grades, and their parents were workaholics who barely noticed what their children were doing. When Shota did not practice, and Madoka and Yuta left the photo club to the kohais, the group hung out.

"Excuse me, why is it always Sunny's choice that counts?" Yuta asked. "Today, we will go where I want, and I want to go to Akihabara."

"But Iㅡ," Shota started.

"Let's go to Akiharabara then," Sunny interjected. The girl was tired of seeing Yuta snap continuously.

Madoka slapped the back of Yuta's head, "Sunny, you don't have to follow this baka otaku."

"Iié, we've only been going to places where I wanted. Let's go to Akihabara."

"Miyama San will drive us," Shota said.

The three friends were in shock as the shinning black car pulled up for them.

The chauffeur held the door as they hopped in, "where are we heading, Matsumoto Sama?"

"Akihabara," the young master replied.

The students were shocked at the degree of formal speech the elder gave the young man, which reminded them of Shota's social status. Madoka felt a sense of pride, whereas Yuta was clearly irritated as usual. Sunny just wondered if she had the right to be with such a person. Would they live trials and tribulations like the ones she witnessed when TV dramas watched?

Yuta fidgeted and touched everything in the car, making Madoka snap at him. It was with a lot of relief that they got off.

Yuta led the way to different shops. He bought figurines; they played at a few arcades.

°°°°

"Which one do you want?" Shota asked as he put 500 yen in a UFO catcher [arcade crane game machine].

"Totoro ga ohoshi [I would like totoro]," Sunny answered with a smile before returning the question, "and you which one do you want?"

"Don Flamingo," Shota replied, lowering his head as he tried to hide his childlike expression.

"Aren't you going to ask what I want, Yuta?" Madoka asked her friend, imitating Shota and Sunny.

"I'm not your boyfriend," Yuta snapped.

Madoka won three items for herself, Yuta won zero, and the couple gave each other their gifts.

The once fake couple was getting closer; the talks about breakups and pretend couple seemed so far away.

"Where should we go now?" Shota asked.

"Um, let's eat something?"

"How about omurice? I know a good Maid café," Madoka said.

"Look at these girls. They are like camels; how many stomachs do you have?" Yuta puffed.

The girls giggled and locked arms together before turning to pull their tongue at Yuta. Madoka guided them to a maid café, which of course, belonged to the Matsumoto group.

A few minutes after sitting down, a waitress arrived. Yuta's mouth dropped open as he saw the petite girl. She was the prettiest girl Yuta saw after Sunny.

"Saori desu, I'll be taking your order," the girl announced.

As she spoke, Shota lifted his head from the menu. The girl's eyes grew big in what Yuta first imagined as love at first sight effect. But the eyes turned bloodshot, and tears started to fill the rims of her eyes.

"Tsukéte, daré ga, daré ga," she uttered while shaking with fright. It took her a second to convince her legs to turn and run.

"Saori," Shota yelled as he jumped up from his chair to chase her, leaving the group and Sunny in the utmost confusion.