Bonus Short Stories
Lucy and Emily’s Crush Competition
◇ Lucy’s Perspective ◇
I had agreed to meet up with somebody.
“Well? What’d you call me out for?” I asked.
I’d arrived at a posh cafe in the guild near the Macallan church and was now staring at my former party member.
“Oh, come on! Enough with the hostility, Lucy. I’m trying to be friends with you.”
Emily’s tone sounded like I’d already gotten on her nerves, so it didn’t seem like she was trying very hard. Regardless, I took a seat across from her, propped my chin up on my arm, and ordered a black tea.
“Not with Jean today?”
“He’s...out training,” Emily replied.
“Huh, just like Makoto.”
The moment Emily heard my response, she snapped and glared at me. “Yeah, he is!” Emily declared, slamming her hand against the tabletop. “Jean’s completely taken after Makoto, so all he does anymore is train!
“O-Okay...” I said nervously. “So, did you invite me here because you were feeling lonely?”
“Got a problem with that?” Emily shot back. She was in a foul mood.
“Well then, what’d you want to talk about?” I asked.
Emily took a long pause before answering.
“Lucy... You’re dating Makoto, right?”
“Huh?!” I blurted out loudly. “Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha... What are you talking about?!”
“Ah, right. You’re a wuss, so I suppose not.”
“Oh, it’s on!” I announced. “I’m gonna ask out Makoto right now! You can keep having cold feet for all I care!”
“Excuse me? Jean and I grew up in the same orphanage! You’d better believe I’ll get a ‘yes’ out of him before you do!”
Emily and I glared and growled at each other from point-blank range.
“Hey you two, no fighting in the guild!” Mary scolded as she drove us out.
“All right then, whoever asks out their crush first in the next three days wins,” Emily said, throwing down the gauntlet.
“You’re on! Loser has to pick up the winner’s tab!”
And so, we were now competing to see who could ask out their crush first.
Wait... How did it come to this, again?
◇
“Not feelin’ hungry, Lucy?”
I didn’t answer. Across from me was Makoto, who had just finished his trai— No, he was still training during his meal. There were shards of ice floating around him.
“Hey... Are you free later?” I asked.
“Besides the part where I train until I fall asleep, yeah, totally free,” Makoto answered. Did this guy have some disease that would kill him if he wasn’t training?
“Wanna go for a walk?” I asked.
“Sure thing.”
I led Makoto outside.
“Where to?” he asked.
“Uhhh, let’s go to the park!” I suggested. I figured that the park would have just the atmosphere I needed at this time of night. It’d also be quiet enough for us to have a conversation.
“Huh?” Makoto responded with a contorted, confused look. I didn’t understand his response at the time, but I got it once we arrived at the park ten minutes later.
What the heck?! I thought. What’re so many lovey-dovey couples doing in the park at night?!
Just being romantic would’ve been one thing... But couples were going, uh, well beyond that in plain view.
“So, um, Lucy?” Makoto asked. He was visibly nervous. I probably was too.
But, for real? Was I really going to ask him out in a place like this? Wouldn’t it insinuate that I expected our night to go...a certain way?
“H-Hey, uh, Makoto...” I began.
“Y-Yeah?” stammered Makoto, his face actually showing an emotion for once. But just then...
“Aaah!” came a woman’s moan from behind some nearby bushes. Makoto and I shared a look of panic. His face was beet-red. Mine probably resembled a tomato.
Nope, nope, nope! There was no way I could ask him out here! I grabbed Makoto by the hand and we hastily left the park.
◇
Emily and I heaved heavy sighs.
“How’d yours go?” I asked.
“Do I need to spell it out?”
Ah, things weren’t going well. Our lonesome ladies’ night out continued late into the evening.
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