P.T.C.
Episode #12 - Date?
Written by: CS-Masyet
Raena: Wakes up in her bed. Uhn... Gets up. W-what happened?
Ail: Oh, you're awake! That's good; you slept for a long time.
Raena: W-what time is it?
Ail: Morning.
Raena: Morning? Oh no, I didn't finish my homework!
Ail: Don't worry, we have no school today.
Raena: But it's Friday...
Ail: It's a holiday.
Raena: Oh, that's right! And the band is playing today because it's a holiday!
Ail (shocked): !
Raena: You're supposed to play in the band too, right? Are you ready, Ail?
Ail: Argh, I completely forgot about that!
Raena: Oh no! Will you be okay?
Ail: Wait, isn't the concert at 19:00?
Raena: Yeah, I think...
Ail: Then I've got plenty of time...
Raena: Wipes her forehead. It's hot today...
Ail: Yeah, it's still early autumn. You also slept for a long time and you're wearing a sweatshirt.
Raena: I wish I didn't have to wear this all day... Takes off her sweatshirt and fans herself with it.
Ail: Hey, Raena...
Raena: Yeah?
Ail: How long have you disguised yourself as a boy?
Raena: For about a year, why?
Ail: But I thought you just moved here at the beginning of the school year.
Raena: That's because I went to a different school in the area before this one.
Ail: I see... (She's had to do so many things disguised a boy for this long... She's never gotten a break...)
Raena: Puts her sweatshirt back on. ...
Ail: Hm, since we have no school... How about we go out and do something today? You don't even need to disguise yourself if you don't want to.
Raena: W-what? But I have to; what if someone sees me?
Ail: We'll go somewhere far away; where no one knows about the whole river thing. That way there won't be a problem.
Raena: C-can we really do something like that?
Ail: Yeah, of course! It'll be fun!
Raena: B-but how are we going to be able to go far away?
Ail: You don't worry about that; you'll see! Do you have any normal clothes for you to wear?
Raena: No... I didn't think I'd need any...
Ail: We'll just have to buy some then. Grabs his wallet. Come on, let's go!
Raena: (happy): O-okay!
Ail/Raena: Go outside to the parking lot.
Ail: We're going to be riding this.
Raena: What is it?
Ail: It's a motor bike. Gets on it. Get on.
Raena: Ah! O-okay... Gets on it. Wait, it's only us two...
Ail: Of course it is... What's wrong with that?
Raena (blushing): I-it's nothing... (If it's only the two of us, it'll be like a d-date...)
Ail: Hang on!
Raena: Eh?
Ail: Turns it on and starts driving.
Raena: Yah! Hangs on to Ail.
Ail: You okay?
Raena: Y-yeah, it just startled me, that's all...
Ail: Drives to the highway.
Raena: How far are we going?
Ail: You'll see.
Raena: If you go too far, we might get lost...
Ail: This place isn't new to me, don't worry!
Raena: O-okay...
Ail: Drives to a city.
Raena: There sure are a lot of buildings here...
Ail: Stops at a clothes store. Here's our first stop.
Raena: Why are we stopping here?
Ail: To buy clothes for you, remember?
Raena: But I don't have that much money...
Ail: Don't worry, I'll pay for everything.
Raena: B-bu...
Ail: No buts. Today's on me, okay?
Raena: Are you sure?
Ail: Yeah. Today I want you to have fun.
Raena: T-thanks...
Ail/Raena: Go in the store.
Ail: Pick whatever you like.
Raena (happy): Okay! Hm... Takes an outfit. I'll try this on first! Goes into the changing room.
Ail: *sigh* (Raena is definitely a girl...)
Raena: Comes out wearing the outfit. How do I look?
Ail: You look so different like that...
Raena: Yeah, I know...
Female Store Clerk: Walks up to them. Your girlfriend is cute.
Ail (blushing): N-no, she's not my...
Clerk: Hm... I know the perfect look for you! Come with me! Drags Raena into the changing room.
Ail: *sweatdrop* ...

A few minutes later...

Clerk: Comes out of the room. Thanks for waiting! Here she is!
Ail: (It's about time...)
Raena: Comes out wearing a different outfit.
Ail (blushing): W-wow...
Raena (blushing): D-do I look okay?
Ail (blushing): U-um...
Clerk: If only your hair was longer, you could look so much better... Oh well; your boyfriend still seems to really like your new look!
Raena (blushing): H-he's not my...
Clerk: Here's her other clothes. Gives them to Ail. You'll be paying, right?
Ail: Yeah. How much?
Clerk: $40.
Ail (shocked): W-what?!?
Ail/Raena: Leave the store (after paying).
Raena: I'm sorry for making you pay so much money...
Ail: Don't worry about it; it's fine. Anyway, what do you want to do now?
Raena: Um, I don't know... Her stomach growls. Heheh...
Ail: Let's go eat something.
Raena: Okay.
Ail: Right, let's go.
Raena: Wait, where are you going to put my other clothes?
Ail: In here. Opens the seat of the bike and put the clothes in it. There.
Raena: Oh, that's why the back is so big...
Ail: Gets on it. Let's go.
Raena: Gets on it.
Ail: Starts driving again.
Raena: The breeze is nice!
Ail: But I'm going slower than before...
Raena: I couldn't feel it because I was wearing so much stuff...
Ail: Oh, right...
Raena: Smells food. What's that smell?
Ail: Stops at a restaurant. Must be from here. Reads the sign. "Couple's Cafe"?
Raena (blushing): U-um, maybe we should go somewhere else...
Ail (blushing): Y-yeah...
Waiter: Comes outside. Welcome, young couple!
Ail: (Not again...) We're just friends, so we'll be going...
Waiter: I am Mistah Waitah; Waitah for short. I am the owner of Couple's Cafe, the only restaurant in this town!
Ail: Only restaurant?!?
Raena: I'm really hungry too...
Ail: Maybe we can buy food at a store or something...
Raena: *sigh*
Waitah: Come, I guarantee you'll love my food! Drags them into the restaurant.
Ail/Raena: Sit at a table.
Waitah: I will make one of my specialties for you! Just wait a moment... Leaves.
Ail (blushing): I-I guess we might as well eat something here...
Raena (blushing): Y-yeah...
Waitah: Comes back with a plate of fish. Here's your food!
Ail: That was fast...
Raena: Fish?
Waitah: Enjoy, young couple!
Ail: I already told you, we're not a couple...
Waitah: Don't try and deny it; I know these things.
Ail: ...
Waitah: Let me share a story with you. Before I started my own restaurant, I worked for someone else in Lopan. There was a young couple like the two of you who also said they were "just friends". But I knew that they were in love, and they came back a second time and told me they became a couple! Do you know how I knew? They gave off a love vibe, a powerful one, one that I had never experienced before! Until now...
Ail/Raena: Finished eating the food.
Raena: That was good! Thanks!
Ail: Yeah, it wasn't bad...
Waitah: (They... weren't listening at all, were they?)
Ail: How much?
Waitah: Oh no! It's on me!
Ail: R-really?!?
Raena: Thank you so much!
Waitah: On one condition; when you two become an offical couple, come back to eat again!
Ail: We probably won't; we're actually not from around here...
Waitah: That's what they said! Hahahah!
Ail: Yeah, yeah...
Ail/Raena: Leave the store.
Ail: Gets on the bike. Jeez, he talks too much...
Raena: Gets on. The food was good though.
Ail: I guess... Starts driving.
Raena: (I wonder... if Ail and I will actually become a couple...) *blush* Shakes her head. (W-what am I thinking?)
Ail: So, where do want to go now?
Raena: Let's just drive around for now.
Ail: Alright! Drives around, until they pass a carnival. What's this?
Raena: Looks like fun! Let's go!
Ail: Okay!

They go to the carnival. What will happen next? Find out next episode...