Episode 5: It's Catching

Asuka looked up from the textbook she was reading to see her clubmate Kasumi taking what looked like a selfie as she was humming a familiar Nickelback tune.

Ugh…

Asuka groaned on the inside, desperately wanting to leave the room as soon as possible—and it wasn’t because she was humming a Nickelback song of all things.

The girl knew that she was taking a selfie on Snapchat and applying a terrifyingly warped filter on it. This was all because she knew that her friend Yuhi and her circle did the same thing, as she often showed her these “amazingly cute” pictures.

Photos that marred their actual beauty. It was disgusting.

That was the main reason why Asuka didn’t have a Snapchat, instead opting to use her Facebook Messenger app for talking to her friends instead. They didn’t mind, but they were annoyed at her “old people” views on some things.

Asuka turned her attention back to her textbook, vowing to read the rest of the chapter she was on. After all, schoolwork took top priority among everything else—even if it was about things she was already familiar with.

Right as she read the last sentence of the chapter, Asuka heard her phone vibrate.

“Ah, who just messaged me?” she murmured aloud, shutting her book and reaching for her phone.

She turned it on and noticed that she got a text from her friend that she was just thinking about—Yuhi Akino. (Her only other close friend besides the ones from her choir class, by the way.)

Yuhi and Asuka went way back… to elementary school, at least. Asuka remembered first meeting her in first grade and then becoming quick friends right after. The girls shared everything in common back in the day—like princesses, Disney Channel shows, and of course, playing dress up, but the cruel mistress that is time caught up with them, and now they were anything but different. Yet somehow, just like Mimori and Kasumi and Mari and Naoko, they were still friends despite those differences.

Anyway. The text.

Hey, Asuka-pyo! Remember what I said about wanting to throw a birthday this Friday at Josie’s?

Asuka gulped. Yup, she did remember.

And I remember not liking that idea too, but alas. She will not listen to anything I really say anyway.

After blushing at seeing that embarrassing nickname (which she only said outside of school for the sake of Asuka’s reputation), Asuka watched as another line of text appeared in front of her.

I booked the date! I know it doesn’t sound that exciting for you but I thought it'd be fun for my other friends!

There she goes, thinking of me but carrying on with her plans anyway. As peculiarly refreshing as ever.

Be there Friday at Josie’s at seven o’clock sharp! Look up the directions if you want, and tell your mom. Make sure to loosen up and have some fun! P.P.S: Bring a present. I don’t care what!

Ah, of course. “Loosen up”, her favorite phrase.

The glasses girl rolled her eyes and smiled.

Alright. I’ll be there.

Asuka sighed as she packed up her things. Now I have to get her a present. I think I have a general idea…

★

Asuka, to be perfectly honest, didn’t feel like going to this girly makeup place but since it was for her friend, she had to do it.

Being the smart young woman that she was, decided to get her friend Yuhi an FYE gift card since she tended to buy CDs there a lot, despite also religiously listening to her Spotify (she said it was to support her favorite artists). Also in the glittery purple bag, Asuka got her friend a bag of Jelly Bellys, as she knew those were her favorite candy.

All in all, those were pretty good presents for her best friend. Asuka was sure Yuhi couldn’t ask for anything more.

And so, it was Friday before she knew it… and also a week and a few days before Christmas break for the school, which Asuka couldn’t believe.

After school in the clubroom, Asuka was chewing on her lip—a habit she wished that she didn’t have. Erica spoke up about this which startled her.

“You know, if you don’t wanna go, then just don’t go,” The American girl said casually, mindlessly flipping through the pages of one of her notebooks.

Ah. She totally read my mind, didn’t she? How annoying.

Asuka nodded. “I get it, but Yuhi is my best friend. I cannot fathom not going to Josie’s even though it’s not my cup of tea.”

“What exactly is Josie’s?” Erica frowned as she picked her phone up to look it up. Instead, Kasumi blurted out what it was for her.

“It’s a place where they do your hair and makeup and stuff! It’s like a salon, but better!”

“Oh…” Erica looked up at Asuka, a smug smile on her face. “Yeah, that’s so not your kind of party.”

At that moment, a pink aura appeared in the room, which turned out to be Mimori with a sixteen-year-old Cone… as per usual now.

“So you don’t wanna go to a party?” the boy queried, definitely missing half of the context of the conversation.

“Um, yes?” Asuka said, eyebrows narrowed. “I’m going to be going anyway, however. It’s not an issue.”

Cone walked over to her, chewing something and hands in his pockets. He studied her face for a few seconds and after that, he shrugged.

“It kinda looks like an issue,” he replied, the gum (is what she realized it was) in his mouth making a snapping sound. “Ah well. I’m sure you’ll have a decent time there anyway.”

“I couldn’t have said it any better myself!” Mimori sang, waving her head front side to side as if she got a new My Little Pony toy.

Asuka sighed, and massaged her temple. “I truly hope so as well.”

★

During the entire car ride there, Asuka was trying to calm her mind by listening to some Norah Jones, which was always her go-to artist to listen to whenever she felt even remotely stressed.

After all, she was going to spend the three or so hours with a bunch of gyarus/basic bitches, which she admittedly had to do every year, but still. It seemed like every year they got worse with their gyaru/basic bitch level.

Never mind that. I’m just going to watch these things happen and only occasionally participate in anything, except for talking with Yuhi. Just like usual.

At least the previous places they went to were the mall (of course), another mall, and then an outdoor mall the year before.

I guess it really was time to shake things up, huh?

At that point, they pretty much went to every mall in their prefecture.

Because that’s what she wanted to do during the party. Let things happen.

Thinking about the past made Asuka wish that she was still student council vice president, but alas. Time had to move on.

Speaking of time, Asuka and her mom had arrived. Upon getting out of the car, the first thing they were greeted with was a big, pink, glittery sign that read ‘Josie’s’ in a font that looked suspiciously familiar to the Impact one.

Asuka’s mom looked at her daughter, face firm as usual. “You ready?” she asked. “I’m only going in to see the place and tell Yuhi’s mom that you’re here.”

Asuka nodded, knowing that that simple “visit” was going to turn into her mom being there for the rest of the party. Once the two women saw each other, they could talk forever, after all.

The two walked into the place, and they were berated with two things: Lots of pink and Fifth Harmony playing loudly from the speakers in the ceiling.

Oh joy.

“Hello there!” said one of the employees in a cheerful manner. The woman had blue and purple gradient hair and too much mascara on. “How may I help you? Are you here for a party today?”

“Yes,” Asuka said in the coolest tone she could muster, which was very unlike her as her tone was (almost) always cool. “I’m here for Yuhi Akino’s party?”

“Hmm, let’s see…” The woman looked down at her touchpad. “Akino, Akino… ah, here we go! You’re here for her Sweet Sixteen?” She grinned broadly. “Right this way then!”

Asuka and her mom followed the woman as the song about work faded into another boring song, one that Asuka knew from Mimori “The Worst Song of 2016’”. However, the spacious-sounding synth kind of calmed her nerves, even though the bass was overpowering. The neon lights, however, hurt her eyes. The strong smell of nail polish also didn’t help.

Finally, the two reached the table at which the Yuhi’s party was.

“Hey! Look at who’s here, Yuhi!” One of Yuhi’s friends, a short, blonde girl said.

The girl, in particular, was named Juri. She was never in any of Asuka’s classes, but yet again neither were any of the girls. Funny how that worked.

Juri’s blonde hair looked obviously dyed and was straight and long, coming down to her lower backside. She had on a trendy outfit that Asuka wouldn’t be caught dead wearing, one that included a keyhole on the chest.

Yuhi looked up and grinned. (Yes, it was indeed her actual birthday.) “Hey, you came!” She held out her hands, signaling for the present that Asuka brought to be handed over to her.

Asuka handed her the lilac-colored bag, giving her friend her best friendly smile. Instead, the smile came out all trembly-looking.

She then turned her attention to the rest of the girls, whom she looked at one by one so she could see what they looked like this year. (As you can tell, Asuka and Yuhi’s friends don’t exactly see each other very often.)

The one first that she noticed was Renko, who had her black hair styled short but with long, swoopy bangs—perhaps the only one there who hadn’t fully subscribed to the gyaru look. Her outfit was a cute sailor uniform with a checker pattern on the collar and skirt… the skirt being, of course, hiked up to at least her mid-thigh.

The next one was Aki, who had her dyed blonde hair also have purple hair streaks in it, along with three ear piercings in each ear. Her outfit consisted of a red bomber jacket, a white t-shirt with some vaguely Engrish words on it, a denim skirt, and poofy grey boots. Totally matching?

Mikasa was next, with her strawberry blonde-dyed hair. She was wearing an over-the-shoulder turquoise long-sleeved top, frayed pants, and white sneakers. Nothing of the ordinary, really, except for the giant hot-pink-colored scrunchie in her hair.

Lastly, Asuka’s eyes went back to the birthday girl. She was wearing a crimson-colored long-sleeve shirt, a long black skirt, and black boots. Simple. In her long, wavy auburn hair was a crown hair clip, no doubt it being a reference to her being the “birthday princess.”

Meanwhile, all Asuka was wearing was a plain old button-up white shirt with poofy sleeves and a simple dark gray skirt with Mary Janes… plus, the usual low bun in her hair.

“Okay, guys!” Yuhi clapped her hands together, eyes sparkling. “Ready to get our nails done? C’mon, we gotta make the perfect Snapchat story! Today”

Asuka nodded along as the other girls exclaimed these in an overexcited manner. In actuality, she wished she would have the guts to turn invisible and just leave the vicinity.

However, she had to remain strong. For Yuhi!

★

Half an hour later, Asuka was getting her nails done. After that would be her face and hair.

Truly riveting.

However, having someone paint her nails wasn’t the only thing she disliked at the moment.

There was a Meghan Trainor song playing at full volume, as well as the dangerous fumes she was inhaling (the pungent smell of nail polish remover and hairspray mixed together, to be exact).

Oh, and Yuhi’s friends.

Yuhi herself was trying to engage Asuka in some activities and conversation while their nails were getting painted but the girl wasn’t feeling it.

One such attempt included Yuhi trying to get Asuka into her vertically taken selfie so could share it with her other basic friends in her story, but the girl swiping through various filters and showing her friends only made Asuka sick to her stomach. The dog one is the most terrifying, good GOD.

Next, Yuhi tried to get Asuka into a conversation about cute guys, but the girl was less than interested—mostly because she wasn't totally into dudes like her friends were. Plus, the boy they were looking at all took their pictures in front of mirrors with their shoes off for some reason.

And currently, Mikasa was telling Asuka to sing along to an Ariana Grande song that was currently playing over the speakers. Asuka didn’t know it so she didn’t feel bothered to sing along to it.

Once all the girls’ nails were done, it was time for their faces to be done by these makeup artists that Asuka could at least admit did a pretty good job at what they did.

As Asuka looked upward to stare at the various people in the building at the moment (her mom actually managed to leave the vicinity, by the way), she noticed someone coming out of the men’s bathroom that she could’ve sworn she hadn’t seen walking around before.

Yes. Basically, the whole time she’d been there so far, she’d been people-watching. It was her favorite thing to do in these types of situations.

The person in question was Cone.

W-what the hell is he doing here?!

The boy was coming up to the girls (and women), and Asuka could feel her face flushing immediately.

He’s kind of embarrassing me here!!

Renko was the second one to notice Cone walking up to them, and her reaction was pretty much to be expected.

“Who’s this cutie?” the girl said excitedly, miming lowering a pair of glasses as the worker woman was getting out a box of foundation.

Asuka sighed, trying to calm herself down. “No one in particular,” she said quietly.

Now in front of the girls, Cone folded his arms and pouted. “Really? ‘No one in particular?’ Damn.”

That was when he touched her shoulder and they teleported to what looked like the back of the building.

Wait, what the hell? When did he get this power?! Asuka could only assume that he got it when she wasn’t looking or was hanging out with Mimori or something. Still, it was pretty fishy.

“Shh…” he said, putting a finger in front of his mouth. “I’m just here to see if you’re doing okay. Oh, and don’t worry about the teleportation thing. Like Tomo’s power, time in the previous place you were in freezes when you teleport.”

Asuka nodded, eyebrows furrowed as he continued.

“I don’t know, I was kind of worried something bad would happen when you were here, so that’s why I came to check on you.” He shot Asuka a worried look with his ice-blue eyes.

Asuka shot a look as well, hoping that she didn’t come off looking too intimating, as she usually did (in her choir class in particular).

“I’m doing fine, but thanks for worrying for me,” she clarified. “This is painful, but not as painful as having to endure two whole hours of Mimori’s horrendous emo song karaoke.” Her mouth twitched as she said that.

Cone gave a hearty chuckle. “I agree,” he said, skinny arms going up and down on his chest as he laughed. He then touched Asuka’s shoulder again, and something happened.

Again, actually.

Asuka’s heart skipped a beat. No, several beats.

W-What the—? Again?! Why am I feeling like this?

She felt… strange. Like, she suddenly thought he was hot and strange.

And she didn’t think he was particularly her type… if she had a type at all.

“Alright, ready to go back?” he asked, which kind of didn’t cross Asuka’s mind since she was so focused on this strange sensation she was feeling.

“U-uh… uh huh,” she said suddenly, snapping out of her reverie for the briefest of seconds.

In even less than that, Asuka was back in the previous place she’d been but not in her seat, and Renko was whining.

“Aw, where’d the cute boy go?”

Meanwhile, Asuka was finally back in her reality.

“What the hell was that…?” she murmured.

★

After getting all prettied up, it was time for pizza and then eventually the cake. Yes, they all got lipstick put on their lips that were going to get smudged (assumedly) while eating the pizza and cake and drinking the pop that Yuhi’s mom had provided them. (What a waste of money, right?)

When Asuka got to her seat, however, she noticed that a note was at her designated spot. (Yes, she had a designated spot. Her name tag was on it and everything.)

If it’s vanilla cake, could you save me a slice? Vanilla cake is best cake. -Cone.

Asuka rolled her eyes. How did he even manage to get this on my table?

Yet again, she wasn’t exactly paying the most attention after he teleported her back to her previous spot. Perhaps he put it on the table really quick then?

The young man is an enigma wrapped in a mystery.

Then glancing at the cake, she saw that it was half vanilla, half chocolate, which was convenient for her.

I guess I’ll awkwardly ask for a vanilla piece for one of my close friends after we sing “Happy Birthday” then.

★

After eating the pizza and singing an off-key rendition of “Happy Birthday to You” (in which Asuka was the only one who was singing it in its original key), Asuka did in fact ask for a slice of the cake for one of her friends. Yuhi was teasing her, asking her who it was, to which the girl responded honestly with “The boy who was here very briefly.”

“Ooooh~” Yuhi cried, clapping her hands together in a rhythmic pattern. “You GOTTA tell who it is, you GOTTA!”

With not much to say about his identity (as he was a Canadian in a semi-famous band, after all), she simply responded with, “He’s in my literature club at school.”

That seemed to satisfy her friend, luckily, and she returned to talking with her friends about funny bloggers that they were subscribed to on YouTube.

Despite that incident and the awkward asking, the cake was pretty good. The frosting was sweet, and the cake itself was nice and moist. It tasted like what you’d expect a birthday cake to taste like. Nothing more, nothing less.

And then it was present time.

So far, Yuhi got a Katy Perry makeup kit from Mikasa, a Forever 21 gift card from Juri, a LuluLemon gift card from Aki (in which she can buy perhaps a single pair of leggings or something), and an Ariana Grande t-shirt from Renko. Her parents got her a blue Beats Pill to which she held it up like it was Simba from The Lion King. Everyone laughed.

Once again, everything was to be expected.

But now it was Asuka’s turn… she was the last one and was feeling a tad nervous about it.

I mean, it’s just a gift card and some candy. What’s the big deal about it?

The birthday girl looked at her last present, which was in that nice, small bag that Asuka got for her.

“Okay!” Yuhi cheered, pumping a fist in the air. “Last present! I’m guessing it’s from you, Asukapyo~!” She smiled sweetly, and Asuka could feel a sweat drop run down one of her cheeks.

Slowly and carefully, Yuhi began to take the tissue paper out. Next, she took out the card that Asuka got her and giggled. Good. I thought she’d like that dumb card. (Also yes she got her card.)

“Funny,” Yuhi said, upon opening the card up and taking the gift card out, making sure not to look at it quite yet. “I like the pun.”

“Pun? Where!?” Juri shrieked, getting up closer to her friend. “I love puns!”

Yuhi pointed at the card, and Juri chortled, returning to her seat.

The birthday girl then examined the gift card, grinning. “Ah, thanks for the gift card, Asukapyo! I’ll spend it wisely!” She winked at her. Then, she dug around in the bag and pulled out the Jelly Bellys. “Ooh! My Bellys! Thank you so much!”

Asuka breathed a sigh of relief, smiling wide at her friend while she was hugging the candy in a cartoonish way.

The girls then all clapped, signaling the end of the gift-giving.

Yuhi hollered and calmed down almost immediately. “Alright! We’re all done! Yay! Now, we can just hang out and look at each other’s stories! Well, except for you.” She looked at Asuka when she said that and then winced. “Oops. That came out wrong.”

No, that came out right, Asuka wanted to say to her. It’s true.

Instead, she said something that she’d been wanting to say for a while now, but she decided to wait for the right time so she didn’t come off like a dick.

“I’m going to call my mom to tell her to come pick me up,” Asuka said to her friend and her friends. “It was nice hanging out with you guys, though. I look great!” She smiled softly.

That was when Yuhi ran up to her and gave a hug.

“I’m gonna miss youuuu,” she cried overdramatically, patting Asuka’s shoulder. “Don’t forget to message me when you get home!!”

“Okay,” Asuka said, patting her friend’s back. “And don’t worry, I had a good time. Even though, to be honest, it wasn’t my cup of tea.”

It was the truth, and Asuka said it. Yuhi knew it too, but that’s how their friendship went—Two different girls, the best of friends. It just didn’t look like it.