Chapter Text
Futaba frowned as Yusuke peered into the big colorful ball of gum at the start of a store.
“… you want one don’t you?” Futaba muttered amused as Yusuke eyed the colorful candies.
“Perposterous. Such colors clash greatly with others yet they keep them in such small spaces.” Yusuke remarked completely with a serious expression on his face.
“…” Futaba frowned. Shaking her head as she exhaled. “Let’s see… its about… 100 yen.” She peered at the gumball machine curiously, tilting her head at it left to right.
“… I am about… 60 yen short.” Yusuke bemoaned sorrowfully, as Futaba blinked at his words.
“Excuse me… why do you carry around 30 yen?” Futaba muttered as she turned to stare at Yusuke who rubbed the back of his neck.
“Ah, I had 160, but I used 120 for the train ride over, leaving about 40 left. Then, I spotted a very cheap lovely pencil pack for around 10 yen and-“
“Okay okay, I get it you suck with cash.” Futaba held out her hands. “You don’t need to make me feel worse Inari. Next you’re going to place a hand on your forehead and mourn the world.”
“Why would I do such a thing?” Predictably, Yusuke only caught the last part of the sentence.
“… forget it Inari.” Futaba muttered as she dug around her pockets for her money. Only… she found a meager amount left.
“…” Futaba started at the 80 yen in her hand. “… good news, we can get you your gum.” Futaba muttered as she frowned at the small cash. “… might need to ask Makoto or Haru to help pick us up though… I don’t think we have enough to make it back to Leblanc via train.”
“Unthinkable. I will not take your cash for a fleeting taste of color.” Yusuke shook his head, his blue hair tossing as he moved.
“…” Futaba narrowed her eyes, her lips pulling into a slight frown as she tilted her head slightly at Yusuke. Her purple eyes glinting in the fluorescent light of the mall.
“… hand me your yen then, I do not trust you with even 30 yen.” Futaba held out her hand as Yusuke dropped the 30 into her palm. She eyed them, doing some mental calculations. Makoto did owe Futaba after what happened three weeks ago, maybe she cashed in on that. Man, and she was hoping to get Makoto to drag her to try out a Yazuka game or something. Maybe she’ll need to employ that tactic during a ‘girls night’ with the others.
“Ah, although I must admire the bright colors of the machine, a tactic used to gather the eye of the people and to draw them in.” Yusuke mused outloud as Futaba shot him a deadpanned stare.
“… Inari, have you taken a look at the paintings in the back?” Futaba shot back, as Yusuke blinked.
“Paintings in the back? Ah I must go see them urgently.” He remarked as he entered the store, his footsteps fading as he crept along the carpeted floor.
Quickly, with Yusuke distracted, Futaba pulled off her heist. First, she approached the counter, her feet shuffling as she went over what she was going to do.
“U- uhm… Can I get… these into a- uhm.” Futaba stumbled over her words, panic flaring under her skin as she stuttered.
Glancing in the back, Futaba saw the blue hair of her companion swaying with every head tilt of his at the painting in the back of the store, with his fingers held up to frame the view. She remembered who she was doing this for.
Wait, had Inari ever even had a gumball before? Her mind, the traitor, whispered. Even more reason to swallow back that social panic and do this.
“Ahem.” Futaba nervously cleared her throat. “I would uhm… like to turn in these two 50 yen into a- uhm.. a one hundred please.” Futaba held out the pair of 50 yen in her shaking hands out to the person, who inclined their head and took it, dropping a 100 yen a few moments later into Futaba’s hands.
As she thanked them, she darted off, tugging a thread out of her jacket, an issue that Haru always points out and offers to repair it. Futaba thanked her past self for never taking up Haru’s offer.
Tying the string to the coin, Futaba slid it into the machin, turning the knob halfway. She heard the clicking of the machine, then, she pulled up gently on the string, returning her yen to her hand. She leaned down, prying the gum out and into her hand, then, she did it again, prying two out. After that, she slid the yen into her pocket. Better not tell anyone, at least she double checked that there were no cameras.
Pocketing her cash, she held the two brightly colored orbs close to her chest as she quietly walked forward, tilting herself a bit to avoid running into anyone in the crowded space.
Thankfully, Yusuke is tall enough he’s like a beacon in a dark room. He towers over most people, and his blue hair is distinct. (Not that Futaba couldn’t find Yusuke in a crowd of blue haired people- hahah… its totally not because Futaba’s eyes are naturally drawn to his hair because of course not.)
What she'e getting at was that Yusuke is easy to see from a distance, and so it was easy to go and locate him.
He stood before a drawing of an eagle, at the bottom Futaba could see faint english signed at the bottom. A bald eagle her mind supplied to herself as she arrived at the smallish painting. Probably got imported from America, didn't they have a thing for bald eagles over there?
Regardless, Futaba scurried over to him, her purple eyes shifting along his face in an attempt to figure out what he was thinking.
He pondered the painting with a thoughtful expression, his head tilted at a 40 degree angle and his fingers tapping along his side, tugging his sleeves as he regarded the painting before him.
"Soo…" Futaba remarked, sliding up towards Yusuke. "What's the consensus on this random encounter?"
"... huh?" Yusuke blinked surprised at Futaba who had slid up.
"Look, someone else left a gumball." Futaba held one of the gumballs up, discretely popping the other one onto her tongue.
".. Oh!" Yusuke replied surprised as he plucked the small colorful orb from her palm.
He turned it, eying it like it was an offending fruit as he seemingly sought the most appealing side of the light green candy.
"Inari, you just pop it in." Futab deadpanned as Yusuke hummed.
"I must find the most appealing angle Futaba. Its necessary before I consume it." Yusuke remarked as after a few moments of turning it, his eyes lit up.
Futaba exhaled when Yusuke finally took that bite.
"Oh!" He simply replied as he chewed.
"See?" Futaba felt her lips upturn into a smirk. "Pretty good right?"
"... Futaba, why do you have another?"
"I don't know what you're talking about Inari. Oh look! They have the new game!" Futaba exclaimed pointing to a store across the mall and hurrying off.
"Futaba wait-!" Yusuke startled as he started to run after her. "If I lose you in the crowd Boss will have my head!"