- “Honestly, I had forgotten when the last time was that I had seen John and Ao-sen before reuniting with them in high school. I wasn’t sure if it was after third or second grade. I think they also struggle with remembering that. It wasn’t until our post-midnight conversation that I am now able to recall that 4th grade was the last I saw them, before the present.”
- “Hahaha…”
We woke up in the lounge. Thank goodness I was able to wake Sanagi without much of a fuss. Imagine if she freaked out by realizing she had accidentally fallen asleep on my head!
Mere minutes after we got ready, the lounge was crowded with all the girls from Sanagi’s school. We all ate a light breakfast provided by the hotel. During all that time I sat close to Sanagi and Fasshon, but other girls did approach us and even started light conversations with me. It wasn’t at all awkward, it was just peaceful. Things got a little awkward only when I decided to talk constantly about how awesome my friend John was. I was trying to see if I got any of them to get an interest in him and add them to my notebook of possible ships. Sadly, no dice, but then I guess they wouldn’t want to be shipped with a guy they don’t even know.
In 15 minutes, my bus arrived to pick me up, just as they had agreed to do, the moment they were notified I had taken the wrong bus.
- “Too bad we didn’t get to finish the anime.”
- “Yeah… But you do know the name, you can look for it on streaming.”
- “But it’s not the same, I kinda wanted to watch it with you Nio-chan.”
- “Oh… we can do one of those things I’ve seen on T.V. where people call each other and watch the same programming at once while keeping the line open for conversation!”
- “That way we can talk while we watch, just as if we were hanging out like yesterday. Sounds like a great idea Nio-chan!”
I had to board, but I wanted to finish the conversation, so I started to walk backward and slowly raise my voice so that Sanagi could hear me.
- “Ok, I’ll expect your call! And feel free to group call anyone else if you want to, like Fasshon or Jinna….”
- “No thanks, that’s our thing.”
- “Ok, bye!”
As the door closed, I was immediately lifted, slightly, from the floor and shaken by Gita as to why I didn’t call her, only for her to afterward drop her head in shame because she should have waited for me to get out of the plane’s bathroom, and it wouldn’t have happened.
I did my best to calm her down only for John to come with his head downcast as well, saying he allowed it to happen again. He got distracted talking with Kiken and didn’t even notice I was gone. Contrary to how I tried to calm Gita, I just laughed at his expense, which caused him to laugh as well, as we side hugged each other.
I was promptly scolded by the teacher, but I wasn’t punished since it was an honest mistake.
Considering that John was currently seating with Ao-sen, I figured Kiken was not distracted by anyone, so I contact her via com-link to hear her explanation, of why she didn’t hear me calling her name, directly in her ear. Although I already knew the answer.
- (Via com-link). “Nio… I’m sorry, I got distracted hearing my beloved’s angelic voice. Nothing else came through to me. NOTHING ELSE MATTERED TO ME. THOSE WERE THE BEST MOMENTS OF MY LIFE.”
- (Via com-link). “Earth to Kiken… (Sigh)… Understood. But at least tell me you had some sort of progress, besides hearing him speak. And keep it down, I know your crush on John is obvious but let’s not make it even more obvious.”
- (Via com-link). “Squeeeee!” (Low pitched squeal). “After he was done talking, he thanked me for listening to him talk about pointless topics for so long, saying that normally he would have been interrupted by now. I said they weren’t pointless, he thanked me again, and said that next time, he wanted to hear me talk… CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?... HE WANTS TO HEAR ME TALK. I wonder if he’ll eventually let me tie him up-”
- (Panicked, lowering his head, and pressing the com-link closer to his ear as he whispers). “No… No tying him… But I’m proud of your progress… But whenever it is your turn to speak, I, need to be com-link present to stop you from telling too much.”
- (Via com-link). “Yeah…”
- (Via com-link). “How many Nio squeezing plushies are still standing?”
- (Via com-link). “Two, I only destroyed three…”
- (Via com-link). “WOOHOOO! … Sorry… New record Kiken!”
Decided not to bring the topic that I learned that Sanagi is Kiken’s cousin, since I didn’t want problems, it seems they are not on the best of terms at the moment, so it’s best to leave it be for now. Besides, we were heading for ‘El Morro’, so I had to be prepared if any other girls wanted help with their feelings towards John. Plus, Ao-sen kinda hyped me up about it with the whole warrior stuff.
Kiken threw me the com-link, and so I caught it and put it away. She was currently seating with a boy, clearly hitting on her, while she ignored him completely. Gita was almost at the front of the bus, talking lively to Panchikikku about something. It seems they were having fun. Ao-sen was in a full delusional conversation with John, the fact that she was no longer after his heart didn’t mean they stopped being friends. While Mattari was seating by my side.
I always struggled to help Mattari out whenever she asked for my help, I struggled to deal with her cool and stoic personality, which made it hard for me to get a read on her. On my first attempt I failed miserably, my next attempts were better, but not stellar. Thankfully I had taken my time to watch anime with ‘kuudere’ main girls and read stories with ‘kuudere’ love interests. It gave me some insight. And the fact that Mattari had taken some time with me to work on her expressing herself, had been very useful.”
- “AHEM…”
- “Oh… Mattari… Do you need something?”
- “I am glad to see you are ok after your ordeal Niokurinin.”
- “Oh… Thanks, Mattari.”
- “If you feel bothered by something, feel free to tell me.”
She is the class representative. The fact that a male student accidentally spent the night with students from an All Girls Highs School, under her wat, is bothering her. I am grateful that her voice has no sense of suspicion about whether I did something wrong to them or not. It makes me feel happy that I am trusted.
Silence persisted, for a while. I didn’t know how to converse with her much. We weren’t friends, but we weren’t on bad terms either. We were just acquaintances that communicated when business was in order.
Staring at her from the side, I could see she was in an internal struggle. Even for a ‘kuudere’ it was obvious to see that she wanted to ask something but was forcing herself to stay quiet. From my expert shipper analysis, I could tell she wanted to ask for my help in getting her closer to John, but her moral compass was telling her that it would be taking advantage of me since I just came from a worrisome situation. Time to reassure her I’m fine and ready to ship.
- “I’m fine Mattari, really I am. If you want to talk about something, or ask for help with something, feel free. I’m ready…”
- “…”
She seemed to ponder it for a while. She really is a responsible girl with a strong moral compass. In the end, she decided to agree to my offer.
- “Thank you, Niokurinin. I wondered if you could get John to help me to organize the groups in which we will divide class to observe ‘El Morro’ when we get there.”
- “Sure thing… But remember. Be a bit more expressive of how you feel. You don’t have to change how you behave, or how you make facial expressions, you can simply talk about how you feel, verbally, and it doesn’t have to be a lot, just enough so that he knows you care beyond your responsibilities as a representative.”
- “Yes… I… wanted to thank him for something… I won’t tell you now, but I wish your help with that.”
- “It’s fine. You don’t have to tell me what you want to thank him for, but I definitely will help you.”
- “Thank you Niokurinin.”
- (Sigh) “There is an area close to close to that fields in which people fly kites.”
- “The field next to the path to ‘El Morro’?”
- “Yeah… I don’t know that field’s name, but close to it, there is this area in which kids use to play with water that came out from the floor, like in a waterpark. I don’t know if that is still active or not, but regardless it is a very beautiful place. I saw it when I was researching areas in San Juan. You could go there to talk.”
- “Thank you Niokurinin.”
- “No problem…”
…
We had reached our destination. Me and Mattari were already with our com-links.
- “Hey John. Mattari said she wanted your help in dividing the groups for our checking ‘El Morro’”
- “Ok, thanks for telling me, Nio. (He walks away). CHIRUUUUU!”
So loud.
I decided to hang out with Ao-sen until Mattari and John left for that spot I told them about. It was time for Sen-sen and Ao-Senshi to have another battle of the ages.
…
{Meanwhile next to the bus, a bald, dense, and friendly guy, stood next to the classified number 1 prettiest girl in Eagle High, both working around the student list}.
- “Should we divide the students into groups of five Chiru?”
- “No, I believe groups of three would be better, that way we can minimalize learning distractions, because of large groups talking to each other during the experience.”
- “Ok, that makes sense. I guess Nio and I should go in different groups. We are both pretty loud when we are together.”
{Elsewhere, a dark-haired shipper sneezed and began to question if what just happened was an anime trope or just a coincidence}.
- (Temporarily turns her com-link off). “Do you think you could try to at least talk lower?”
- “I guess, yeah.”
- “Then I think it would be fine to put you, with him together. I think adding Miko to your group will be alright as well. Provide her you tell her to keep her voice down while in ‘El Morro’ as well.”
- “You’d do that for me? Really?!” (Happy and excited).
- (Slightly blushes but remains on a stoic expression). “This, in particular, was not for you. Rather it was for Niokurinin.”
- “For Nio? Really?”
- “He has been helping me a lot lately with things, and since he is fond of you and Miko thought he deserved to be in a group with both of you. I mean you are childhood friends.”
- “Yeah… Thanks. You should try to be friends with Nio. He is a little eccentric and annoying with what he likes, but he’s friend material.”
- “I’ll think about it.”
{Both students continued to arrange groups for the next 15 minutes and they were concluded}.
- (Turns her com-link on). “Teacher we are done.”
- “Miss. Mattari, Mr. John, well done you two. In 15 minutes, we will be heading for ‘El Morro’ so be ready.”
- “Teacher, may I go somewhere with John first, a friend told me about a place near here, that I want to show him.”
- “Ok, sure… But be back in 10 minutes. It is your responsibility to notify the class of their respective group divisions.”
- “Yes ma’am.”
- “Lead the way, Chiru!” (Smiles).
{The cold beauty blushes lightly, but remains firm, and begins to walk with her crush}.
…
Ok. They are on the move. Time to start: "Operation Thank you". And did Mattari just address me as her friend? That’s nice… Focus! Be there and be ready. Make sure no one interrupts. Let’s do this!
Mattari is walking in the direction I pointed to her the moment we got out of the bus. I told Ao-sen we needed to pause our battle; I think she understood what I was doing so she accepted it. I was tailing them, thankfully none of the locals or other tourists seem to notice, or I would have been called a stalker.
- “Waoh… The place I told them is cool…”
As I hoped, there was no water coming out from the floor. It’s better that way, at least they don’t risk getting their clothes wet, Mattari has white clothes so, it wouldn’t be good. Anime tropes will always be anime tropes, but real life doesn’t always have to follow them.
- (Via com-link). “Hey, Mattari… I see a stand just above the stairs. He is selling ‘piraguas’, I read about them online. It’s a bunch of ice with flavor syrup on top, it flavors and gives color to the ice. You should get some with John.”
- (Via com-link, whispering). “Thank you…”
They make their way up the stairs to the ‘piragua’ stand, thankfully, the line isn’t long, so they each get one. Mattari wanted to pay, but John insisted.
He be like that.
I decided to sneak where they wouldn’t notice and get my own. Mattari seems to have bought blueberry flavor, it doesn’t quite match her hair color, but close enough… And why I am not surprised that John picked cherry flavor. I decided to go with caramel flavor because, why not?
I continued to follow them, hiding my head with my ‘pava’, which I didn’t know if it made me more, or less, inconspicuous, since none of the locals were wearing one, but eventually I stopped, as Matarri stopped and turned to John. Both had finished their ‘piraguas’ rather quickly, and Mattari was ready to do what she set out to do.
…
{The navy-haired beauty prepared to do something she never thought she would be able to do. She was frozen}.
- “…”
- “So, Chiru. What is it you wanted to talk about?”
- “…”
- “…”
- “…”
- “…”
{Things were not going well for the cold beauty, as she kept her expression cool and said nothing. Her head was at war with herself. She wasn’t shy, but as someone who was always collected with her emotions, expressing them even if verbally only, was a challenge.}
- “We should be going back to the others. Thanks for bringing me to this place Chiru, it looks awesome. And whatever that ice thing was, it tasted delicious. We should go to the others, know that you can talk to me whenever…” (Begins to walk forward and passes, her side). “Come on!”
- (Via com-link). “You can do it Mattari!”
- “WAIT! (Raising her voice slightly).
{The cold beauty did more than what was on the plan. The moment she turned around, towards where her bald crush stood past her, she enveloped him in a hug. He had turned around at the voice of is friend, but he had not expected that development, after all, he knew his friend was not one for emotional expressiveness. Elsewhere, next to the stairs, the shipper gasped at what had happened, he couldn’t believe it.}.
- “Thank you… John… You have always been there for me.”
- “Chiru...”
{The girl’s expression didn’t reflect any emotion, but the light tone in her voice reflected a lot, not to mention the hug}.
- “I never thanked you. For that time… In our second year in high school, when you defended me in the debate period for selecting the class representative. I never told you how much that meant to me… And you have been willing to help me whenever I asked for help, whether it was council or representative work. If you couldn’t, you made sure I knew why, and helped me the next time around… But besides that, … You have been a great friend… Thank you…”
- “Chiru… I…” (Proceeds to hug back).
{The shipper’s mouth had completely dropped. He was mentally squealing at this ship’s development, and at the girl’s development with her emotions, but his body wasn’t reacting to his brain}.
…
Waoh… I didn’t see that coming. How someone expresses such emotions while keeping her face so unmoved is beyond me, but whoa.
- (Heard through the com-link). “I love you…”
- “…”
Did she just… CONFESS TO HIM?!
Oh gosh. Is this good? Is this bad? I don’t know. Some anime rom-coms give victory to the first to confess, but others leave those in the dust. Some anime tends to get people together very fast and focus on the relationship for the rest of the seasons, but others tend to drag out the drama and angst. Which one am I seeing now in real life?! What does this mean going forward? Will they be together now? Will they stay friends? Will their friendship be awkward now? Will he give his answer now? Or will he decide to procrastinate his answer through the next 5 or so chapters?! Will she be heartbroken now? What about the other girls, if they end up together, how will they feel? I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE I STARTED SHIPPING THEM! I CAN’T HANDLE THE EMOTIONAL WAVES OF AN ANIME HEROINE ACCEPTING DEFEAT! IT BREAKS MY HEART! WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!?
- (Heard through the com-link) “You don’t have to thank me Chiru, we’re friends after all. Anyways, what did you say… After the whole, thank you, thing?”
He didn’t hear…
He’s not even pretending he didn’t. He just didn’t hear… You must be ‘boloney-ing’ me right now plot! It’s just like that anime, where the blue-haired fella fell asleep right when his crush asked if she could kiss him. I mean, what kind of plot armor is this? It’s that type of anime, dense protagonist is dense. Ok. False alarm… Let's see what Mattari does about this….
She’s panicking.
She doesn’t show it, on her face, even if I can’t quite see it from here, but since John doesn’t seem worried, it means her face is normal. But the quick way in which Mattari broke the hug lets me know she realized what she said.
- (Heard through the com-link) “It was nothing of consequence. You were right before. We must make our way to the others; we mustn’t make the teacher angry.”
- (Heard through the com-link) “And you’re back to normal. Seeing your emotional side was nice. And don’t hesitate to ask for help ok? And if you ever want a hug, feel free.”
I will punch the denseness out of you…
Sigh.
I guess that is what makes you… You…
John walks ahead, and Mattari stays in place, probably too shocked at the moment. I decide to make my way to her side.
- “Well, that was something.”
- “Yes…”
How can she keep that stoic face after that?
- “Do you think I did the right thing?... By ignoring what I said at the end? Do you think I lost my chance?”
- “There is no way for us to know… Only time will tell. But that doesn’t mean you won’t have others. Just ask when you need those others.” (I decide to wink to see if I can lift her shocked mood). “But I do know, you had some real developments. You expressed what was in your heart through words, and even offered physical contact. Something few ‘kuuderes’ can do. I’m proud.”
- “I’m glad… Thank you for helping me out.”
- “This was mostly you this time, contrary to other times. Hey… (Nervous)… Are we friends now?”
I decide to look at Mattari, (she is really, tall dang it), to see if I crossed a line by asking. The way she addressed me as her friend, to the teacher, stuck with me, but she may just not have found another way to describe me.
- (Small smile, with stoic expression) “Yes… That is… If you want to… Nio…”
She used my nickname… I could cry…
- “Yes… Thank you Mattari…”
- (Stoic expression maintained) “Feel free to call me Chiru, if you want… But don’t feel forced either.”
Today was a great day. Making friends is not my objective when doing this. I am certain it is not, that is the objective of the purple-haired Madonna that can’t communicate, in that anime I watch on slow days, but if I can strengthen the bonds of trust between me and John’s square of suitors, it will help me in the end to give them all proper chances. Mattari begins to walk away, and I follow, slightly behind.
- “All in due time… (Seems hypocritical though, considering I pestered her to use my nickname for so long)”
- “Understood”
But as I walk, I think back to my shipping panic. I knew when I started this… That not every girl would end up with John. I made sure that they knew, I was giving them chances, but only one would win… And that is if he didn’t end up with someone else, or if he didn’t decide he didn’t want a girlfriend at all. But I never thought about how I would handle their potential heartbreak… It would not be my fault, I have not given them promises of success, I have made sure they know the risks… But still… It will be pain… Am I ready for that?
…
Some development huh? A big question is stuck in the shipper’s mind. What does this mean for him going forward? Only time will tell.
Next time, a group of three childhood friends proceeds to explore the historical place ‘El Morro’ will they be able to remain calm and learn something, despite their individual uniqueness. Find out next on “Protagonist is a Shipper” part 2.
