Twinkling Ash

"Thank you so much for coming with me, Minami-chan!"
Tan-Tan offered her sweetest smile toward Yamaguchi Minami, who was now standing before her at the train station in a pair of tight spats hugging her bottom, complemented by a lavender colored blouse fluttering around her torso.

"Don't mention it, Tan-Tan-chan!"
Minami gave Tan-Tan's silver hair a playful noogie with her knuckles.
"You look really cute in your casual clothes!"

Tan-Tan blushed ever so slightly. She was wearing a long, flowing white maxi dress covered in childish polka-dots.

"Th-thank you! I have a lot of trouble finding mature clothes due to my size. I hope I don't look too silly."

Minami began ruffling Tan-Tan's hair even harder, her small neck trapped between the muscles of her athletic arms.
"You don't look silly at all! Now, let's go find us some swimsuits!"

The two girls stepped into the strip mall, their eyes darting between the bright, neon signs of the popular women's fashion stores surrounding the sleek stone walkway.
"Have you been reading Azurbön lately, Minami-chan?"

Entering an air conditioned sporting goods store, Tan-Tan gazed up at the pretty face of Yamaguchi Minami.

"Sure have! I can't wait to see how Kip manages to save Princess Nana from the enemy stronghold!"

Picking up a child sized, two-piece bikini, Tan-Tan giggled. She held it up to her small frame and admired herself in the mirror.
"I love how sassy Princess Nana is toward the enemy king."

"Whoa! That would look totally hot on you, Tan-Tan-chan!"
Minami rushed Tan-Tan into the dressing room.

"H-hot?! W-wait, Minami-chan!"

"Too late! Now, you better start stripping!"
Minami let out a hearty laugh, leaving the blushing Tan-Tan alone with her thoughts.

Gently slipping out of her sundress, Tan-Tan reluctantly changed into the cute swimsuit. As she adjusted the spaghetti straps around her shoulders, a slight groan of embarrassment escaped her pursed lips.

"I don't know, Minami-chan."

"If you don't open that curtain, then I will!"
Minami eagerly bounced on her heels as she waited for the big reveal.

"But it's way too revealing! What if Nish-... what if the boys think I look weird?!"

"Stop complaining and show me some skin!"
With a rough tug of the curtain, Minami revealed the flustered girl, standing there nervously with her hand clutching her opposite elbow. The gentle frills of the swimsuit added a much needed flair of maturity to Tan-Tan's already small figure. The dark, navy blue hue accentuated her curves in all the right places.

"Nosebleed alert! Tan-Tan-chan, you look amazing!"

"Are you sure? Should I pad my chest? What if Nish-... what if the boys prefer bigger... assets?"
She covered her body with her arms, skillfully blocking any amount of exposed skin she might dare to reveal to onlookers.

"You worry too much! Summer is all about showing off some skin! I'm sure there's plenty people who prefer your lolita body!"
Minami giggled and stepped into the dressing room, trapping Tan-Tan in the corner.

"Lolita?! Minami-chan, you can't say things like that! And what's with that look in your eyes?!"

As Minami held up a variety of swimsuits, an ominous giggle could be heard from the back of her throat.
"Minami-chan? What are you-... Ah!!!"

Leaving behind the treacherous trials of the sporting goods store, Minami and Tan-Tan exited the strip mall, each carrying a small bag containing a new swimsuit for summer camp. Looking as if her soul had left her body, Tan-Tan was in desperate need of some much deserved caffeine.
"Minami-chan... I don't think you're allowed to touch people there without consent."

"Stop being so dramatic, Tan-Tan-chan. If I hadn't forced you to try on all those swimsuits how would you have ever found such a cute bikini?"
Minami stuck out her tongue.

"I think I could use a matcha latte. Want to go to Shigeo Beans with me, Minami-chan?"

Minami's face suddenly flushed with a crimson red. She averted eye contact, her fingers fiddling with the straps of her shopping bag. Sensing something was wrong, Tan-Tan patiently waited for an answer.

"Minam-..."

"Ah, I just remembered something I had to do! See you later, Tan-Tan-chan!"
Rushing down the street, she was gone with the wind.

"Jeez, I guess even Minami-chan has a secret life outside of school."

Sitting down by herself at Shigeo Beans, Tan-Tan couldn't help but reflect on what had just occurred. She had never seen such a flustered expression on Minami's face before. The typically air-headed girl seemed to have only trivial issues rather than serious ones. As she sipped on her latte, she spotted a familiar face from across the street. The familiar, gloomy boy clutched a small envelope tightly to his chest, his eyes darting both ways before he crossed the street.

"Is that Sakai-senpai?"

Getting closer and closer, he approached the coffee shop. The chime of a bell resting against the wooden door rang to life as none other than Sakai Akinari entered.

"Table for one-..."
Recognizing a pair of impudent, sneaky eyes beneath a bright silver cowlick, he let out breath of irritation.
"Actually, I'll just sit with her."

Positioning himself across from her, Akinari used his index finger to push the menu she had been hiding her face behind toward the table.
"If it isn't the shoujo buffoon herself."

"Sakai-senpai. Fancy seeing you here."
The shiny haired girl gave Akinari an unamused once over. Stealing a long, drawn out sip from her latte, she defiantly rested her chin in the palm of her hand.

"I just happened to be in the area, nothing more. I figured I may as well show a lick of compassion toward my underclassman. Aren't I such a nice senpai?"
His cocky smirk drove Tan-Tan into a state of annoyance.

"Whatever, I'm leaving."
Slamming her money onto the table, Tan-Tan glided out of her seat toward the door.
"Ah!"
A vocal squeak followed by the soft rustling of a paper bag; a small bikini slipped onto the table, presenting itself in all its glory to the unprepared Sakai Akinari.

"Good choice. Nishi likes the color green."
Akinari did his best to mask his creeping chuckle. He knew he had her right where he wanted her.

"Nishi?! Why would you even think-"

"I'm going to stop you right there, Tanaka-san. You don't think I haven't noticed the way you gawk at him in the club room?"
He was right. Tan-Tan hadn't even been trying to hide the fact that she was head over heels for the messy haired stud. Looking back on her first encounter with Sakai Akinari, she could recall him gazing up at her from behind his Shonen Leap magazine as she stuck to Nishi's side like a kitten to her owner.

"Well, I know all about your little crush on Minami-chan! That 'special gift for a special someone' you were referring to Minami-chan, correct?"
In her flustered state, she dropped a major bombshell she probably shouldn't have. Judging by the agitated look on Akinari's face, she could only gulp and wait for her punishment. But to her surprise, that punishment never came.

"True, I suppose I do have some... romantic feelings for Minami. So, why don't we make a deal?" He flashed a pair of concert tickets he had clutched in an envelope. Minami's favorite band, to be precise.

The two locked eyes. The petite girl's lips curled with quivering skepticism.
"What kind of deal?"

Akinari stood up, overshadowing Tan-Tan with his height.
"You promise to stay away from Minami during the final night of summer camp. In exchange, I'll make sure you have equal time alone with Nishi."

She hadn't expected such a level headed idea coming from him of all people. It was true, she had been banking on some alone time with her beloved Kuromoto Nishi during the upcoming summer camp beach trip. As much as it irritated her to go along with his plan, she couldn't deny the excitement she felt at letting the two have their own moment of romance. She sighed and extended her hand, grumbling softly.

"Deal."