43 Naught but a Maniac (1/2)
Tapping came to his head, and that was what roused Arata from sleep. He had no idea who it was since he was lying stomach-flat on his bed. With the slowest movement possible, he looked at his alarm clock which hands were five minutes before six. It was very weird face— as the clocks never suggested anything else but the action times. Then again, his awakening was nothing natural so he supposed it was part of the display.
Feeling warmth next to him, the player knew that someone was seated next to him. He got up from the bed and yawned a big one. He turned to his right and saw Attori waving at him. She was in her uniform already, and had probably let herself in using the spare key hidden outside. Arata was not alarmed, but it was embarrassing to be seen at such heavy sleep aftermath.
”Good morning, Attori. Why so early?” Arata moved around the bed to sit on the edge next to her. He wore nothing but last night's underwear, but it was the least of his problems. He combed his hair with his hand, but Attori offered to comb it with a real brush. ”Thanks.”
”How was yesterday? It looks like you were so tired...” She giggled as she made the messy bird nest of a hair into his fluffy fly boy asset. ”You must have a lot of fun with Ruru-chan and the others.”
”Nope, I just got a long sleep. I wish I could have more though.” The man stretched as he felt that the comb had left his head. ”We just ate snacks at my restaurant— ah, I'll bring you there one of these days!” He suddenly panicked as he remembered something. He had not brought her over, and it was not like it was intentional.
Attori only stared at him before laughing out, flicking his nose in amusement. ”I know!” She calmed down and sighed as she looked down at the brush and plucked the hairs that got caught in it. ”I have been busy for a long time since my mother came. We didn't really have a lot of 'us' time.” She then turned to him and waved the brush. ”Let's have a lot of dates every day, okay!”
The player only nodded as he accepted the terms. In fact, it was the best reply he would ever have for that situation. He could not imagine how she would react if she got upset. Then again, the next set of words that came out of her mouth took a lot of his attention.
”Arata, do you remember those rats who kept on bothering you? You remembered how they were spared from expulsion since they were graduating, right?”
”Yeah, I remember them, why?” His eyes shot wide after he thought of something. ”Are they making trouble for you again?!”
”Not at all. They did not know it was me.” She only giggled. ”I might or might not have done the same thing again.” She got up before Arata could stop her from leaving. She twirled across the room and out the door like a mischievous ballerina. ”My masterpiece awaits you, my lord!”
Cusses flew by Arata's head and lips as he rummaged through his room for his stuff. He barely took a shower and brushed his teeth properly. In just fifteen minutes, he hurried downstairs as if chasing Attori. However, what welcomed him was something expected yet not on that day. Arata stopped running down the stairs the moment the dining room unfolded before his eyes.
He took a deep breath, and then chuckled in confusion. ”Why is everyone here?”
As if summoned by their great lord from another world, five girls were in the dining room. Attori was silently waiting for the food to be served as Ruby placed the hot bowl of soup on the table. Tohru was found sleepy on one of the seats, while Cora was just as lost as Arata in seeing everyone. Yukari was setting the table for everyone, when she noticed the man had entered the area.
”Hey, sleepyhead, sit down.” The best friend kept her smile before placing the breads on their plates. ”Looks like you got into trouble in the span of few hours!”
”Trouble?” Arata sat down next to Cora who greeted him softly. He nodded at her before reaching out to wake the star athlete across the songstress. ”Hey, what do you mean 'trouble'? Tohru, wake up.” He stretched his hand to the side, placing it on top of the back of Attori's seat. He had the girl lean against his arm without any passing words.
”Oh, you're here...” The athletic girl stretched in her seat, her bosom hitting the table causing her to jerk as much as the table did. She caught Arata laughing under his hand on his mouth and Cora looking away in envy. She only pouted and placed her elbow on the table and leaned her head on it. ”This happens a lot—”
”Maybe you shouldn't stretch that way then.” Ruby placed more food in between the plates of the seated people. She then went behind Tohru and took her arm off of the table. ”Especially while on the table. Please learn some manners.”
”Yes, mother.”
Ruby sat down across Arata without paying more attention to Tohru. Yukari finished serving the drinks and sat with them as well. They sent their regards to the host first before having perhaps their second breakfast in their favorite man's house. Even though Arata did not call them over all at once, he was okay with dining with them.
Since the food was prepared by their best chef, they ended up not talking to eat more food. Soon enough, Arata started as mostly everyone was finished with their meals. ”Yukari, you said I got into trouble?”
”Hm? It was just that Attori knocked on our door and asked for your spare key.” The best friend hummed as she bit into her bread and chewed on it softly. ”Then I saw Tohsaki-sempai and Hamada-sempai so I thought you did something overnight.”
”I did not.”
”It's more like something happened overnight.” Attori hummed in glee. ”In his name, of course.”