#i half assed it bc it wouldve been wayyyyyy longer otherwise

[fruitpunchsamu-rai]

Fake it until you make it.

Okikagu week 2018, day 1: Red.

“You bring someone or you’re not invited, period.” It’s his sister’s first word to him when he enters the room. He doesn’t even get the chance to utter a thing before she scolds him. He thinks it’s normal for older sisters to be this annoying for no reason.

“I already told you I have a girlfriend and that she’ll be there,” he answers, much more smoothly than he expected to. He adds to it, purging himself more and more with each word. “Haven’t I talked to you about her? We’ve been together for two years already!”

He’s enthusiast and he bears the hugest smile he’s ever had, with reason. His older sister, the only person he’s ever trusted and loved, is getting married in two days. Sometimes it feels like he’s more excited than her about it, she even told him how weird he was. But Sougo was happy that the person she was marrying wasn’t Hijikata. Oh, how happy he was about the fact that Hijikata was probably crying somewhere about this turn of event.

Anyway, his sister has been threatening him about not being let in the wedding venue if he didn’t bring someone along. In other words, a lover. Or a potential one, Mitsuba didn’t care. She wanted to see her brother with someone for at least one night. She was done with seeing him lurk in his corner, alone, not having even a bit of fun. So here he was, talking about a fake girlfriend he never had in the first place. Describing a relationship that doesn’t exist and probably never will. The lie continues for a few minutes and it’s alright until his sister asks her name.

“Her name? Huh,” He’s looking around nervously, his lie is about to be brought up to light and he can’t disappoint his precious sister, he can’t break her heart after bringing her hopes up. He doesn’t have the guts to. He’s about to make a name up until, suddenly, the face of a certain girl pops up in his head. “Her name’s Kagura.”

Mitsuba coos at him. “What a pretty name, I’m so excited to meet her!” She pesters him about finally being in love for a while until he has to leave. He hugs her shortly and promises again to bring Kagura to her wedding. He curses loudly the whole way out of the building.

-x-

Kagura texts him that she’s going to be late to their meeting ten minutes before the wedding’s supposed to start. It’s enough for Sougo to pull his phone out of his pocket.

He calls Kagura in a hurry, distancing himself from the crowd. As soon as she picks up, Sougo yells. “What are you doing? You can’t be late!”

“What are you so stressed out about? We’re only pranking Shinpachi, you know.” Sougo almost screams right then and there. How can she be so stupid and slow?

“I know, just hurry damn it.” She imitates him and hangs up. Even the way she hangs up a phone is annoying to Sougo. How can he pretend to be in love with this dumbass?

He ignores the dread he feels deep down and enters the church. She can miss this part, it’s not that big of a deal. He walks until he’s sat down in the first row, next to Hijikata and Kondo. There are no tears on his face like he had thought, but he’s sure it’ll come sooner or later. The ceremony’s about to start when you hear a girl’s voice. The voice is way too familiar to Sougo.

“Excuse me, I’m looking for this ugly boy, his name’s Sougo?” The said boy sighs and slouches in his seat. He didn’t tell Kagura about his lie. She thinks she’s here to prank that stupid boy Shinpachi. She’s going to kill him.

He considers discreetly slipping out of the church until it’s too late. Kagura has found him and she’s tapping his shoulder frantically. She’s probably wondering why they’re here and why he’s dressed up in a suit. Knowing her, she’s also most likely pondering the option of messing up his hair. Before she can do any of that, he checks his watch and stands up. He whispers something to Kondo and grabs Kagura’s wrist, dragging her out of the crowded church.

“Ya, sadist! Why are we running?” He clicks his tongue. He shouldn’t be annoyed at her, this is all his fault, after all. But he can’t help it, she pisses him off naturally.

“Shut up and follow me.” She complies, letting him guide them to his car. “I need you to grant me a favor.” She laughs sarcastically.

“Depends on what I get at the end of it.” Sougo eyes her suspiciously.

“I’ll buy you food for a month. You can ask for it whenever. Starting today.”

“Deal!” She hits his shoulder. “What do you need?”

“Let’s shake on it, first. You can’t back out after that, alright?” She doesn’t think much of it and shakes Sougo’s hand.

“I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend. Only for tonight.” Kagura’s mouth drop open for so long that Sougo’s has to grab her chin and push it upwards.

“Why?” She doesn’t even look angry. Sougo could even swear he saw her blush.

“It’s my sister’s wedding and I promised I would bring someone with me and I accidentally told her your name.” Kagura sighs, but she doesn’t throw a tantrum like he had expected she would.

“Fine, but just for tonight!” Sougo thanks her a million times after she accepts. “I can’t wear this, though, I look a mess.”

Sougo claps in his hand like he had been waiting for this and opens his car trunk. “I got you. Change into this, quick!”

Kagura takes the attire from Sougo’s hands and inspects it. “How’d you get my size right?” Sougo doesn’t answer, he just motions for her to change. “Turn around, perv!”

Sougo blushes slightly and turns around. It only takes her a minute and then she’s ready. “Okay, let’s go.” This time, Kagura grasps Sougo’s arm and tugs him back to the church where they were. While they’re running, Sougo gets to take a look at the girl.

The dress he brought embraces her body perfectly. It stops a bit higher than her knees and shows her collarbone. But the thing that shocks him the most is the contrast between her vermillion hair and the dark red of the dress. It’s not the same effect as her usual clothes. She looks...different. She looks alluring. Sougo is so taken aback that for a second he’s worried she’ll steal the spot from Mitsuba.

He slaps himself mentally. This is not like him at all. He tries to forget about how good she looks in red during the whole ceremony. He doesn’t succeed.

-x-

Everyone is gathered at the after ceremony, music playing not too loudly to allow conversation. Since he’s the bride’s brother, Sougo gets to sit at the very front with Mitsuba and her husband.

That also means Kagura is there, too. Now their whole entourage will think he’s in a romantic relationship with the girl. He sighs for the thousand time that day.

Kagura hits him softly. “Can you at least act like you want to be here? You’re not putting a good show.” He scoffs at her.

“Maybe I don’t want to be here.” He crosses his arms.

“Shut up, we both know you love your sister too much to want to be anywhere else than here, idiot sadist.”

“Stupid China.” There’s a silent exchange of looks between them until they both laugh. This is ridiculous and they know it. They don’t exactly hate each other, they even get along pretty well when they want to. They know more about each other than anyone and it’s kind of scary the amount of time they spend together. There’s not a day where they don’t hang out.

Some people might mistake them for a real couple. They just have great chemistry.

Sougo excuses himself to the people round him and walks to the bar where Hijikata is stationed. He spots Sougo and signs for him to come over.

“Why did she invite me, huh?” Is the first thing he says to him. Sougo snickers.

“Why did you come, huh?” Hijikata is drunk, that’s all there is to it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t whine like that to him. His question seems to shut him up and he changes the subject.

“I didn’t know Kagura and you were together.” He thinks for a second and rectifies himself. “Actually, I did have some doubt.”

Sougo tells him to shut up and orders himself a drink.

-x-

When he comes back to the table he witnesses Mitsuba and Kagura talking like they’ve been friends forever. He worries at first, until he sees Kagura smile. When did she get so many qualities? Wasn’t she ugly just yesterday?

He shakes the thoughts away and walks to them.

Mitsuba smiles to him and the thought is automatic: it’s nothing compared to Kagura’s.

He actually hates himself.

“Hey. I brought you something to drink,” He says to his ‘lover’. He gets close to her ear and whispers. “It’s your favourite.” She takes a sip and it is, indeed, her favourite. She’s kind of shocked at first, but she lets it slide.

“It’s time for a couples’ dance. You two are coming, right?” Sougo knows he doesn’t really have a choice so he lets himself get dragged across the dancefloor. On their way, Mitsuba allows herself a comment. “I adore Kagura. I’m so happy you found her. I hope I can see her more!”

Sougo is officially doomed.

He lets her slip to her husband. He looks at Kagura who’s already dancing, twirling on herself, the dress lifting a bit. Sougo curses and stops her. The red is enchanting, it’s like he’s under a magic spell.

They start dancing together, along to the slow music. Kagura’s looking in front of her—in other words at his chest—she doesn’t steal him even a glance.

“You look really good in red,” He says not as smoothly as he expected. “I mean, you always do, but tonight you—”

“Stop it. You’re drunk.” He isn’t; he only had a drink at the bar. Not even a strong one, too. So then, why is he spurting all this bullshit? What’s his deal?

“Sorry. I don’t know what’s taken over me.” She laughs awkwardly and he hates it. “I’m not drunk. I mean what I said.”

“Thanks? You don’t look too bad yourself. Although I really want to mess up your hair right now.” Sougo chokes on his saliva. Kagura doesn’t understand why until she notices the rosy taint on the boy’s cheeks. The same colour creeps up on her face. “You stupid sadist! I fucking hate you, you know?”

“Hey,” She finally looks directly into his eyes and Sougo feels himself get dizzy. “What about we keep pretending? I’ll buy you more food.”

Kagura doesn’t think it over. “Sure. But I get to keep the red dress, for scientific reasons.”

Sougo gulps and nods. “Y—yeah. Good idea.”