Is this a date?

“I am truly, truly ashamed about what I did yesterday.” Tenchi reiterates with a sense of guilt. “Is there anything I may do to be forgiven, Aurora?”

     The scene that unfolded at the garden of Amahara last day keeps rewinding in my mind, so that I barely notice he is speaking to me. Holding a spoonful of pudding in my mouth, my index finger leaning against the silver handle, I can’t help but wonder what secrets might the director hold.

“You’ve been repeating yourself constantly since the beginning of the lunch Tenchi!” Aki scolds him, frowning. “See! Even Aurora is fed up with your excuses!”

     As Tenchi fiddles with his fingers, Aki averts her gaze before adding in a lower tone.

“We all know it is because of the scent you inhaled. It was a mere side effect. The researchers explained it clearly this morning. The compound was defective, it solely retained without dispelling any traces of animosity. What ended up amplifying it when it was released.”

“Yes, but… I was the only one to react in such an uncontrollable way.”

“The effects vary according to individuals.”

     Her arms crossed, Aki casts a side glance at me.

“What are you possibly thinking about? Hey, Aurora! Are you still with us?”

     Lost in thoughts, I suddenly blink several times, as if waking up out of a dream. I slowly take out my spoon from my mouth, lowering it towards my plate, a half eaten pudding still waiting for me to make it disappear.

“Aki.”

“H-huh? Yes?” Aki widens her eyes slightly when I speak to her, grabbing her glass.

“How would you proceed to charm a man?”

“…”

     She doesn’t respond me. Would Aki also start to indulge in the delicacy of silence?

“…”

     Suddenly, she nearly chokes on her water, spitting out pearls of water.

     The piercing, dismayed cry that followed is enough to convince me that I have been mistaken. All the other people present in the cafeteria fall silent and turn wide eyes towards us. Their forks hanging in the air, they are probably wondering if another incident is about to occur.

     Blushing deeply, Aki grabs her pigtails and presses them against her cheeks.

“Why are you asking such a thing??”

“In my view, she never thought about it.” Tenchi comments with a calm tone, taking an innocent glance at her.

“Shut up!” She spouts in return.

     I wait for a few moments, letting Aki the time to calm down a little. Anyway, if I had talked while she was screaming she wouldn’t have heard me.

     Little by little, people are returning their attention back to their meal.

“I still don’t know how to gain the director’s affection.”

“…”

     Aki freezes once more. This time, I take the time to prepare myself properly and bring my hands to my ears.

     Seeing me do it, Tenshi mimics me.

“WH- WH- WH- WHAAAAAT???!”

     Slamming her hands against the table, Aki nearly sends her tray flying.

     Once again, the other people present in the cafeteria fall silent and turn wide eyes towards us.

“You don’t talk much, but whenever you do you always manage to make Aki scream. It’s kind of a superpower.”

     A superpower?.. Tenchi’s remark makes me tilt my head to the side. To tell the truth, I would prefer to avoid making her scream.

“Is there something between you? Do you l-l-love him??” Aki stammers.

     I blink several times to her question, hesitantly pointing a finger at me.

“Yes you! Who do you think I’m speaking to?!”

     Unfortunately, I am not able to answer her properly. Love is not part of the things I am seeking.

“I wish… to know him better.”

     I can’t find other words to say to her, so that I whisper them in a lower voice, half-closing my eyes.

“Aki,” Tenchi intervenes. “maybe you should try helping her. I think this must be important to her eyes.”

     Sighing in resignation, she averts her gaze, hiding again behind her pigtails as if she hoped to disappear completely from our sight of vision. Though… It is an undeniable failure. It merely makes her look more adorable than she already is.

“I don’t know… Try giving him little attentions. You can try dressing up in an even prettier way when you see him and h-h-hold hands with him.”

“Maybe kiss?”

     Tenchi adds that suggestion with a thoughtful expression, crossing his arms. The only thing he wants is to help me, but Aki immediately adds in a vivid tone, her head smoking like a volcano.

“On the cheek. On. The. Cheek.”

     I suppose Aki is right. The only people I have seen kissing were my parents. And they were married. Maybe Tenchi is not accustomed to this kind of relationship.

     A finger softly pressed against my lips, I nod to Aki’s advices, taking note of these suggestions. With this in mind, I should be more likely to achieve my mission.

***

Once back in my room, I take a moment to lay on my bed all the clothes I have brought with me. There are not many of them. I never felt the need to have, since clothes only serve to regulate body temperature. Whenever it is a cold or hot day, it is possible to keep the same clothes as they automatically adjust their heating parameters.

“In a need of some help from your fellow parrakeet?”

     Perched upon my chair, Niji has been looking at me for a while.

“You have a date with your sweet director tonight, right?”

     I give Niji a doubtful glance. I do not think he sees it that way. He simply thought it was the optimal way to prevent me from working.

     Though…

     Maybe I can make a date out of it.

“Leave it to me.”

     In a few flaps of wings, he lands dramatically upon my bed, reviewing my clothes.

“What a miserable wardrobe.”

“…”

“I mean. It’s not ugly or something. Well, that is cute, yeah. But there’s nothing outstanding.”

     In the end, we agree to buy something online.

     With a knowing smile, he slides from one outfit to another…

***

Once prepared, I leave my room when an outraged voice calls me from inside.

“Wait! You’re leaving me here? After all I’ve done for you?”

“…”

“Back in the garden, you’ve almost forgotten me there! It broke my little heart…”

“…”

     I leave.

     Focusing on the forthcoming evening, I stare thoughtfully at the ground devoid of the slightest dust.

     However, the sound of distant footsteps catches my attention. Confident, they have this regularity which suggests their owner would not let anything deviate him from the path he has chosen.

     As they draw nearer, I raise my eyes.

“Good evening, Miss Ande-”

     Marygold Leafeyorb halts in the middle of the corridor, staring at me in a loss of words.

     That reaction. It is exactly as Niji told me. He promised me the director would be so spellbound that he would be unable to speak.