Connect

37: Blindfolds and Leeks (pt.1)

It was Saturday afternoon and Neru, Teto, and Luka were at my place. We were all wearing our nicest clothes.

Well, sort of. I was wearing a decent shirt and my best pants. The other girls were dressed pretty nicely, though. Besides, it wasn't like Miku's birthday was going to be a formal event or anything. It would just be a little lunch with friends.

"Gumi," said Neru, too busy texting to look up and meet my eyes, "you never got around to telling us who'll be driving us."

I scratched the nape of my neck. "Right...they asked to stay anonymous." I forced a little laugh. "I can't imagine why, though..."

Luka clung to my sleeve. I yelped and swatted her away.

"Is it Kaito?" She asked. "Did you use your special connections to get Kaito to drive us?"

Neru and Teto squealed. I pressed a finger to my lips, brow furrowed.

"My mom's resting!" I hissed. "And no. It's not Kaito. Besides, I think he'd end up crashing the car if he drove us. You'd all drive him crazy."

"Well, who is it, then?" Neru asked.

My phone buzzed.

Yuma: I'm here~

"You'll find out soon enough?" I said with a shrug.

There was a knock at the door and I headed over, unlocking it. There he was.

Yuma was wearing a suit. That was the first thing that my brain said to me.

The second was, that grin of his looks really stupid.

"You're trying too hard," I said. The girls peered over my shoulders, looking at him.

"Oh, it's him," Luka said, sounding unamused.

"Good afternoon, lovely ladies," Yuma said, bowing. "My name's Yuma, as you flowers already know, I'm sure."

I rolled my eyes at him. He leaned close. Startled, I backed up.

"Sorry I'm late," he whispered. "I found a dog along the way, he was the cutest thing! Looked lost."

"Well, I hope you did something about it," I said. "Can we head out now?"

"You bet I did something!" He beamed at me. "Now, let me lead the way!"

"Does he know the way?" Teto asked as we left my house.

"Yeah," I said. "I think."

Neru looked up from her phone. "You think?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Well, we can always guide him," I said. "Or use a map. But we won't get lost!"

"Ouch," Yuma said, holding open the back door.

"What is it?" I asked.

"How will you all fit?" He said. "Three in the back...Gumi, you can sit up front. But then there's the issue of your friend."

"We could squish her in the back," Luka said.

"Nope," Teto said, shaking her head. "Luka, you take up too much space."

"Excuse me?"

"Screw road safety, guys," Neru said. "The place isn't far from Miku's home, anyways. We'll squish in without seat belts for five minutes."

Yuma shrugged. "You're paying if I get fined," he said to me.

"We won't get fined!" I insisted. "It'll be fine. Just watch."