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Ayame poked pack on the counter with one finger, as if it was poisonous spider.
"All cigarettes are disgusting." she said frowning; nicotine addict in her screamed out of joy. It was more than 4 years that she stopped smoking ... "Aa-ah~ Habits die hard don't they?" she mumbled to noone in particular, rumbling through her pockets in search for those 300 yen. What a hypocrite ... indeed, she acted as if she had such an allergy when she meet with Shigure; And there I am, buying them myself.

And even though they tasted like shit, smelled awfully, and made her recall things she didn't want to remember, Ayame still stuffed cigarettes in pocket putting 300 yen on counter.
How come human beings so often long for things they hate and can't bring themselves to stay away from them?
"Is that being masochist ..." she murmured to herself focusing her attention on Ayane again; she chuckled observing his blush. "Yesss~ I can understand why your fiance wants to keep you all to himself~ And I'd like to come over."

The teenager behind the counter smiled at Ayane's reaction in a gesture empathetic amusement. Ayame seemed to know just how to mess with everyone, though whether it was intentional or not was beyond him. She seemed pretty aloof about it, which would make it seem like the incidents were just natural, but the fact they kept consistent could make a person think other wise. 'Not that it matters.' The employee thought, glancing at the girl as she crammed the cigarette carton into her pocket. Ayame's personality was one of the his favorites to be around, including her ability to fluster.

"Is that being masochist ..."

The question seemed to relevant to his own line of thought, but Rai didn't bother to pursue it. Sliding the payment across the counter top, he opened up the register once again to place the bills inside.

Nao stood there while everyone talked. He didn't really fit in there, so he stood, smiling and sucking on his sweet. The sacrifice looked at his watch and sighed.
"Eh. Sorry to interrupt, but I gotta go now. Aunt and Uncle are probably wondering where I am."
"The only reason; So they can abuse me." Nao thought after saying that. "Anyway, I'll see you later guys. Hope to talk to you soon!" Nao left the convenience store, waving then walking down the street.

[Nao left City Centre and went Home]

"Yeah, same here Nao-kun! Come again anytime." Rai called as the young man walked out the shop. He and that boy seemed to have a bit in common, so he really did hope they could meet again. The questionable bruise of the white haired male did play a part in the desire, and though the fighter was aware of it he just regarded the issue as serving a minor role.

It was reaching six now; the employee could tell from the noise a floor above. The store owner was hurrying to finish the freshly made rice items they sold every morning, running back and forth to get the necessary items. Soon, he would get to go home, which was something Rai looked forward too. It had been a long day.

Ayame chuckled.
"What did you do to him to make him so worn out?" her hand moved in short meaningless gesture before it hided in her hair, playing with red wisps.

"Oh~ Nao's gonna work with you?" she pulled her jeans up again, and hold them with one hand. Who the hell did those pants belong to? Isa shrugged arms walking between shelves. Grey eyes observed her for a while as she spoke. "Where do you work, Aya-hime?" she glanced at her invisible for others friend and turned back to Aya. He was much more amusing than Isa tht she saw amost everyday.

Hearing question her head tilted to the side, she patted lips with finger.
"I guess videogames. Ah, but I can't say for sure~ Worlds imagined by someone else are much less fascinating than my own."

Rai smiled at Ayame's comment, 'Alright, maybe she is doing it on purpose.' he thought, looking over to the other male. The two sacrifices were going to hang out together though, so Ayane probably didn't mind the bit of teasing that came with the red head. Really, it was all in good fun, so the fighter couldn't see why anyone would.

The final preparations on the rice items were ready, judging by the quite coming from the second floor. The employee stood up, silently excusing himself for a moment to open the door behind the counter. The staircase upstairs was revealed as he did so, adorned with a elderly Japanese woman half way down it's steps. In her arms was a selection of rice items, ranging from rice balls to the ever popular bento boxes, piled so high you couldn't even see her face. The employee hurried to take the tray she was carrying the food on, but the shop owner batted him away. "I have it, don't worry." She said, reaching the final step. At this point, Rai's employer was able to get a better hold of the platter and planted it down beside the counter.

"Have these customers been taken care of?" She asked, referring to the 'Aya' pair, but not looking directly at them. Her hands were busy removing the leftover riceballs from yesterday and placing it in the 'Day old' section. Rai nodded as he closed the door to her living space and came up to join her. "Good work today then." She finished, shoving specially made double bento into his arms.

"Thank you Nakamura-san." The fighter said, "I'll see you tonight." After waving to the sacrifice pair Rai walked out of the store and back onto the streets. He wanted to say a proper goodbye to his friends, but chit chat with the customers didn't fly with the boss.

[Rai left City Centre and went Home]

Ayame let out short, naughty laughter.
"Ya sure you wanna to leave this to my imagination?" she winked back at him.

"It suits you, Aya-hime." she nodded glaring at Isa who started to laugh. My, my, am I really so funny, Isamu? she frowned a little bit and allowed Ayane to pull her along. "Yea, white haired neko for sure would look good next to Hime and flowers. You'd make pretty picture~" she wraped her long blue scarf around her neck tighter "Nice kid indeed. Though, he probably won't ever forgive me~" chuckling sacrifice listened to Aya's babble.

It was cold outside store. Of course, she had her stomach bare; too short shirt too lose pants ... I should find jacket chick, shouldn't I? single snowflake landed on her nose. Glanging up, Ayame saw gray sky, about to give birth to snowstorm. Smiling widely at it, for a mometn she forgot about other Aya's presence.

Ayame decided to comment it silently, with smirk and slightly narrowed eyes, glancing at Aya from his toes to top of his head, as if she saw him in new light now ... or just looking for signs actions she could imagine.

Suddenly red head leaned forward, and puled Aya's collar slightly down.
"Yaa ... indeed, my imagination was right ..." she poked his collar bone, where bright pink biting mark was located, and let go of him. "Your fiance is quite ... affectionate, na?"

Sacrifice curtseyed bowing her head in teasing manner.
"As you wish Ohime-san, I won't ... harass Nao-soon-to-be-doctor again." she brushed wild wisps from her face straightening. "He look like someone to be liked by children; that's good quality for a doctor."

"Mm-hm, it's the best." she simply agreeded, nodding her head. "Covering all dirt and letting think for a while that world is really clean place."

"Oi, Aya-hime ... I bet you didn't count them all, did ya?" she chuckled, swirling long red wisp around finger. "Wanna me to help?"

"Though, it's sad, pretty neoks are fun to tease. They get so flustrated ..." Ayame sighed and chewed on inside of her cheek. "Now that I think about it, Aya-hime, did you lost your ears to Izzie?" she tilted head to the side, staring at him. That would be romantic, wouldn't it? Coz, wouldn't that mean, that he was actually engaged to his first serious love?

"It's silent. People run away from anything that falls down, so it's so silent, streets only for me~" she giggled silently, pulling her jeans up and carefully avoidnig puddle. Usually she wuld just jump into it, but there was ice under thin surface of water, nasty trap for anyone who would like to step in there ...
"Winter holidays, like what? Christmas?Are there other winter holidays?" she bited on tip of her finger, but realized what she is doing and quickly put her hand down, hiding it in pocket anc closing aroung cigarettes. Nah, not now, not now? Nasty habits need to wait. We don't want to smoke Hime, do we?

"I don't think we have that kind of time! We can just leave it back at the 'he's very affectionate.' Plus, I haven't seen him in two weeks, since he's been working overtime. I get a little needy myself." Ayane laughed with her, putting his gloves on.

"It's still not very nice my dear, and yes I lost my ears to Izzie. I met him in highschool, he was a foreign exchange student from Australia. But he missed me so much he decided to come back after graduation to stay~ It's such a fairy-tale romance, isn't it? That's why he calls me princess. I don't mind one bit though." He shook his head, after all, who would? Aya was happy where he was in life, maybe not literally speaking in terms of his living arrangements, but everything else was rose-coloured. Especially when Izzie came around to say 'hello' before heading home to sleep, that little evening affair.

"Yeah, like Christmas. I used to celebrate it when I was little, it was always a big deal. But when I came over here, it was only brought about for commercial use, and my family hadn't quite caught onto the phase. So I haven't celebrated any winter holidays in awhile. I was curious if you did, though, Aya." He smiled, a bit saddened over his small loss of home.

[[AYA has left the CITY CENTRE and is heading HOME]]

"Oh, my, sooo bold~" Ayame suddenly wraped arms around his neck and hugged him. "Aya-hime, I want to have lover like you." she stated letting go of him and patting his shoulders.

"Just a fairy tale! Wow, Hime, that's uncommon. Nowadays people just lost their ears to whoever; how many people lost their ears to their first love and are still in relationship with that first love? Engaged?" Ayame slided on ice. Giggling she took short run up and slided again, almost ending in big pile of melting snow. "By the way, how old are you?"

"Ah, Christmas, mom always insisted on celebrating it." she sighed pursing lips. "I don't know why, it was always me, her, and Kohaku, pretty gloomy, since mom wanted to visit rest of family, but ..." she coughed and looked other way. Obviously mom wanted to see rest of family, but from her side there were only assholes, Ayame father and his family were out of question, and Kohaku's family lived too far away. "And after I moved out, " she quickly started next sentence to avoid questions about previous one "I never celebrated them. Cats don't care about it anyway." sacrifice glanced at Aya with bright smile "Now that you're with your fiance you can celebrate it, no? Buy tree, and being annoyingly touchy on the streets while buying presents~"

[Ayame has left City Centre and is heading Home]