Yemihikari's "fanfic★challenge"

✯ Title: A Nice Day ✯

✯ 200 to 500 words ✯

A lovely day, was it? Perhaps so.

The sky was wreathed with grey-ish orange clouds. Behind those perfectly imperfect shapes of clouds, shades of red and orange painted the sky. The sun, simultaneously hiding behind the clouds, allowed those shades to colour the sky and clouds.

The air was cold and she could, in the distance, smell Charmy's cooking. The strong smell of the spice she selected was in the air.

It's going to rain. She thought, while sliding a hand through her hair. It was oily; she had to wash it soon.

"Come here, you little-"

"Catch me if you can!" He laughed.

"When I get my hands on you, Luck!"

"Wow! That's so cool! Show me how to do that, Senpai!"

"Well, if you insist."

"Liquor is the best!"

"Ah, don't look at me. It's embarrassing!"

"I'd rather be looking at Marie."

"Ugh, what a loud bunch."

It was loud, but their chattering faded into the background. At times, she would only hear one voice. Her subconscious focusing on one noise at a time or she would hear everything at once as one big peaceful mess.

She could hear:

Grilling, sizzling, talking, shouting, slurping, laughing and then, she heard patters.

She stared out the window; the sky was no longer filled with bright hues. It was an overcast night and water droplets fell back into the soil of earth.

"Noelle," he called her name.

For some reason, his voice sounded quiet and different. She thought she was imagining it, but when she turned to face him, her doubts were gone.

He was smiling, but his face did not hold that overzealous excitement he radiated. Not goofy nor silly; his smile was... soft.

How else could I put it?

Noelle could not look away.

It was strange to see him hiding his hands behind him. What was he doing?

Despite being clueless, she found this awkward state he was in mesmerizing. She became curious.

"Come join us," he said.

"Why... what are you doing?" Noelle stammered. "You're freaking me out."

"Finral said this is how you're supposed to do it." He looked away and mumbled, "Am I doing it wrong?"

"What exactly are you doing?" She did not know what was overcoming her, but she felt calm. She did not feel the need to overreact as she always done.

"You know, treating you as a woman," he said. "Being careful — a gentleman."

Those words had done something to her heart. A smile found its way onto her lips and she looked away too.

She chuckled. "Why would you do that?"

"Well," he paused, "you're my partner. I have to treat you well, right? Lately you seem down."

Again, he mumbled the last sentence.

"I thought it'd cheer you up. Even thought I might look silly doing this." He spoke to himself again. "Maybe that would cheer you up."

Noelle laughed before she registered the thought.

"Today... is really a nice day."

✯ 494 words ✯