“So, did you write your rejection letters?” Mizuki asked me, turning the page of the magazine she was reading. I looked up from painting my nails to find her looking at me.
“Well, only two had names attached, the last was anonymous,” I said, returning to my nails. I had read about smoky nails online and was trying to duplicate the technique but without much success. Rather than a mysterious, calming look my nails simply looked dull and foolish. I cocked my head to one side, followed by twisting my hand to see if it helped. It did not.
“Rejection letters?” Aria asked from where she and Emi were playing some fighting game on Mizuki’s game system.
“Oh, yeah,” Emi said before I could reply. “One thing you should know about Kasumi is she has a talent where everyone falls in love with her.”
“That’s not even a thing you can have a talent for in the first place. And in the second place it’s totally not true, “I snapped, wiping the colors off with polish and drying them, certain I’d made a mistake on the base coat.
“Actually,” Mizuki smirked at me. “It is completely true. She’s had more people confess to her than have ever even talked to me.” I shook my hand to dry it and rolled my eyes.
“Again,” I said to Aria. “That is not true.”
“She’s been confessed to like a hundred times,” Emi said.
“Well, it’s not that surprising, right?” Aria said.
“That’s true,” Emi nodded. “It’s her curse to be beautiful.”
“Stop it,” I grumbled.
“Have other girls confessed to her?” Aria asked leaning forward with interest
“I’m right here, you know,” I said.
“Oh, tons of girls!” Emi enthused.
“Did she think it was weird when they did?” Aria asked Emi.
“I’m right here!” I repeated louder.
“I don’t think she did,” Emi answered thoughtfully. “Did you think it was weird when another girl confessed to you?”
“Oh, so now you talk to me!” I sighed. “No, I didn’t think it was weird. It’s not like its ancient history. That sort of thing happens, now, and it’s not a big deal, right?”
“You didn’t think it was, like, gross or unnatural or anything?” Aria pressed, the look on her face strangely earnest.
“Of course not,” I replied with a shrug. “Why would I? I mean love is love, right?”
“Yeah, that’s true. Have you accepted any confessions, Kasumi-chan?” Aria asked me.
“Nope, not a one,” Mizuki replied before I could. “But she always writes them a nice letter to let them down easily.”
“She’s a romantic at heart,” Emi said, nodding again.
“I can answer for myself, you know” I huffed in agitation.
“So, have there been a lot of girls?” Aria asked, leaning forward slightly, her bright yellow pajamas with a large white baby chicken on them crinkling as she bent over.
“Girls, boys, you name it!” Mizuki said. “More girls than boys, come to think of it. Especially since you cut your hair, right, Kasumi?”
“Let me answer the question my-“I began in exasperation.
“Although you were really pretty with long hair I think shorter hair suits you better,” Emi interrupted. “It makes you cuter. Like a kitten.”
“Definitely like a kitten,” Mizuki nodded sagely before I could say anything.
“Oh! I love kittens!” Aria enthused, clapping her hands. I stared at each in turn as the conversation rapidly spun into a tangent.
“Aren’t they just adorable!” Emi squealed.
“I love them!” Mizuki enthused. “They mew so sweetly and smell so nice and just kind of stagger around since they can’t walk properly, yet!” She imitated a kitten almost flawlessly and Aria giggled.
“Hey! Speaking of cats!” Emi giggled to herself. “Do you guys have it, yet, or is there something wrong with me.”
“I can’t have a cat,” Mizuki said, shaking her head. “Sora would have a seizure. He doesn’t like other animals.”
“I’ve just got the one cat,” I said. Chibi had been just like the kittens they described, meek and sweet and clumsy and so very tiny. She was now obese and lazy, spending her time either sunning herself on the window sill or face down in the food bowl. How quick the innocence of youth gave way to the gluttony of adulthood I thought sadly.
“No, I’m talking about this!” Emi said, standing and lifting her shirt up to her chin. I stared at her, aghast at her nudity. Mizuki’s mouth dropped open, the jaw breaker she’d been sucking on falling unheeded to roll onto the floor. Aria leaned toward Emi slightly.
“Uh,” Mizuki muttered.
“What am I looking at?” I mumbled.
“Emi naked,” Aria answered, plainly not feeling awkward in the least at Emi’s sudden burst of exhibitionism.
“Why?” I replied.
“What does this have to do with cats?” Mizuki finally managed. Suddenly her face blushed deeply and she giggled. “Oh, I get it. Wouldn’t that be a Sphynx, though?” I stared at Mizuki in horror.
“Oh, nice wax job,” Aria said admiringly.
“It’s not a wax job! That’s the issue! Do you guys have your public hair, yet?” Emi asked, looking down over her thin body anxiously. “I haven’t gotten mine!” I stared at her, subconsciously pressing my shirt down tighter between my thighs.
“Yep,” Mizuki replied. “I got it when I was like 11 or something.”
“Me, too,” Aria said. “About the same time, too. Weird, right?”
“How about you, Kasumi?” Mizuki looked to me. I glanced up at Emi’s hopeful face and shrugged.
“Not me,” I lied. “But I’m not really worried about it, you know? I’ll get it when I get it. Just like you, right, Emi?” Emi breathed a sigh of relief and smiled broadly.
“Yeah! And when we get it it will be luxurious! Right?” I laughed in spite of myself at Emi’s fierce determination.
“Pubic hair for the ages, definitely,” I grinned at her. Emi puffed up proudly.
“People will beg us to paint our pubic hair and paintings will be hanging in the Museum of Art in Tokyo! People will walk by and be all ‘Oh my god! That pubic hair is amazing! Mine is so drab in comparison!” Emi looked star-eyed into the distance, the scene already playing out in her imagination.
“I-I’m not sure I want someone painting my pubic hair,” I muttered.
“It’ll be fun! We’ll do it together!” Emi grinned. “Two for the price of one! That sort of thing!”
“Maybe we can all grow luxurious pubic hair and be pubic hair models!” Mizuki gasped in excitement.
“Is that even a thing?” I asked in confusion.
“It will be!” Emi crowed triumphantly. “We four will be in demand the world over! People will be calling us up and be all ‘we need your pubic hair in Venice on Monday! Please! It’s for world peace!’” We all giggled uncontrollably at the idea.
“Wow! Yours is so cute!” Mizuki enthused, leaning forward further to get closer to Emi until she was within centimeters. “I’ve never seen someone else’s before.” Emi turned toward her slightly.
“Is it? Aren’t they all the same?” Emi asked, looking down at herself.
“I don’t think so,” Mizuki shook her head. “It’s been awhile since I looked at mine but it’s not like yours. Yours is tiny and cute! It’s like a little line, huh? Isn’t it cute, Kasumi?”
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