The Longing Of Shiina Ryo:Bonus Disc Hawk Eye and Rainbow Girl

"Yo, Akane! Hey, over here!"

In the dimly lit cafe, in stark contrast to the once quiet atmosphere stands a colorful spectacle. Having gotten up from her seat, presumably to get someone's attention, a girl with messy, multicolored hair, tattoo'd arms, and numerous piercings stands beckoning.

As to whose attention she is trying to get- it would be mine.

Ignoring the glances from other cafe patrons, as I've grown so accustomed to, I make my way over to the table where the metallic rainbow has retaken her seat.

She sits there, beaming a grin so warm and inviting it bellies the brightness of her rainbow hair.

Good evening... Did you wait long? I asked.

"Nah, I just got here a few minutes ago." she says, sipping her iced coffee.

Long enough to order, it seems. I told her.

"Meh... Ah! What'll you get? Excuse me, miss waitress!" she said, ushering a young, flustered girl in a chic shirt and apron over to us.

"Ah, y-yes, how can I help you...?" the girl asked, obviously confused as to how to respond to the spectacle in front of her.

It was understandable... Sort of. I'd imagine it would be difficult for someone unfamiliar with Megumi to talk to her in a normal way. From the ink covering her slender, white arms to the metal gracing her... Not-so-delicate, but far from unattractive facial features. From her unkempt, multicolored hair to her most striking feature- those beautiful, heterochromatic eyes. Everything about her seemed to require a double take from people who are not used to her particular brand of apparent societal rebellion.

But I was fine with that. This simply meant that there was less competition.

While I grinned knowingly to myself, a faint voice suddenly brought me back to reality.

"Um... Miss?" said the waitress.
"Yo, Earth to Akane?" said the anthropomorphized rainbow.

I will return to this inner monologue at another time.

"Ah, y-yes, sorry... I'll have a cappuccino please. With s-soy milk..." I told the waitress, who was all to relieved to take her leave after jotting down my order on a memo pad.
"You've been spacing out a lot lately. Everything ok?" asked Megumi, apparently concerned. Yeah, I'm just kinda tired from helping mom. I told her.
"Right, sorry about that. I would've helped, but-"

It's fine, all we really did was go around making deliveries. The work itself, which consisted simply of sitting in the back of the van half the time, and taking bouquet's and other sorted arrangements up to the doors of some places was far from tiring. No, it was the fact that I had been up since around five this morning. I told her.

Also... Her reason. I did not want to hear it...

Oh, right.

"Here, Megumi." I said, pulling out an unwrapped box from my bag.
"Hm? ... Akane, this...?" she asked, regarding the box with confusion.

It's a present. I said. I suppose just looking at the box wouldn't really convey that all to well. But giving Megumi a neatly wrapped box was a colossal waste of time, as she would tear into it anyway... I suppose a bow wouldn't have hurt, though... Note to self.

"Hm? Silly, it ain't my birthday... I don't think. And I know it isn't Valentines Day." said Megumi.

First of all, were it Valentine's Day, I believe I would be the one getting the present. My turn to give would not come until White Day. I told her.

"Hm? Since when am I the... Eh, what do you call them again? I heard Shin-Tsu's friend talking about it the other day... 'Uke'?" she asked, tilting her head quizzically.

We can ponder archtypes later. Just open it. I told her.

"...Akane, this..."

No sooner had she sad that did our waitress return, setting my iced mocha on the table in front of me.

"Ah, t-thank you..." I said, blowing on my cappuccino before taking a sip.

Mm... It's good. I tell Megumi.

"...pffft! Aha, Akane..."
"Yes? What is it, Megu-"

Before I could finish, Megumi reaches her hand across the table. Extending her index finger and brushing it against my cheek before drawing it back to her mouth, licking said finger.

"... And that was for...?"
"Foam. On your face. You looked so silly." she said, laughing.

... I wonder if my face is as read as it feels. Judging by Megumi's still smiling, still amused face, I'd be willing to bet that it was.

As I wondered if this was what happiness felt like, I realized that I had to save some face. Ahem.

"Megumi! You can't just... Geez, remember that we're in public" I said, putting on my best pout-ey face.

Her reply was to stick out her pierced tongue and wink at me.

... Ok, yeah. That's cute. That's just cute. If she were to make a face like that after LICKING my face in public, I'm pretty sure all embarrassment I felt would evaporate instantly.

After finishing our respective beverages, we exited the cafe, and begun walking back to my house. The walk wasn't long. It was only about three blocks from my house to the cafe.

While walking, "Akane... Are you sure it's alright for me to have this? I mean, you-"

I want her to have it. I know time together like this... There rose colored days, will inevitably be short... I want to give her something to remember me by, and this is ok. I told her.

"... Akane" she whispered, leaning closer to me.

I'm going to take a shower. I told her. I'm kinda tired, so I will probably go to bed after I eat...

"You want me to play you a lullaby?" she asked, I'd assume jokingly.

You don't know any lullabies. I told her.

"I could learn, ya know."

In the time it took me to take a shower? I somehow doubted that.

Closing the door behind me, I quickly de-robe, and turn the water on, testing it, until it gets warm.

Mm... Feels go-

"Oh, hey, Akane, mom want's to know if pasta salad is ok" said Megumi, opening the door to the bathroom
"..."
"Oh, right, you said you were going to take a shower. My bad~ So, about the pasta..."

... If you walked in on a girl, as she was standing, stark naked in front of a shower, would you linger? Megumi, apparently, would.

"Pasta salad is fine" I told her.

I've long since resigned myself to... Happy little accidents like this. I don't mind, really. I mean, if it's Megumi, I wouldn't mind her seeing me, but... A little forewarning would be nice.

"Alright, I'll let mom know." said the peeper. Right as she was shutting the door, "Oh, hey, Akane, did your boobs get bigger?" she asked, tilting her head quizzically.

They had, actually. But I opted to ignore that last statement, stepping into the shower once it reached a suitable temperature.

That girl... Honestly... I heaved a light sigh as the hot water washed over me, placing a hand to my blushing cheek.

After getting out of the shower and towling myself dry, I make my way back to my room, where I am met with pleasant strumming.

... My little rock princess is playing soft, easy listening? I can't believe my ears.

But, sure enough, entering the room, there is Megumi, strumming away on her now tuned guitar... It sounds good. I told her.

"Ah, your out... Oh, Akane your hair is still wet"
"Hm?" I touch my hair and it is still dripping wet. "Oh, I guess I forgot to dry it off."
"Silly, come here" said Megumi, setting her guitar aside before standing up and grasping my hand, pulling me over to the bed where I am seated.

No sooner do I sit does Megumi take the towel hanging from my neck, and drapes it over my head.

"Um... Megumi?"
"You'll catch a cold like that." she says, gently drying off my locks.

...

"...it would be nice" I started.
"Hm? What would?" asked Megumi.

After taking a deep breath,

"It would be nice if we could stay like this. Just the three of us, me, you and mom. I'm happy. The way things are, I am happy. Living here, together with you, I am ha-" before I could finish, Megumi reached her arms around and embraced me, resting her head against my shoulder.
"...yeah, it would be nice." said Megumi in a faint voice.
"...could we stay like this, a little longer?" I asked, pleadingly.
"...yeah, I would like that." said Megumi.