A few days had passed since Akemi's redemption, and the rumors about Mizuha had finally dissipated. Akemi had explained everything to most of the students and apologized for deceiving them. As a result, the people who had ignored and mocked Mizuha in school also apologized to her. Mizuha felt relieved as everything seemed to settle. She wanted to rebuild her reputation but no longer desired to be a role model student, as she didn't want to stand out and attract envy.
It was an ordinary day after school. Shimizu looked at Mizuha and Elly with excitement in her eyes. "Hey, are you both free tomorrow?" she asked. Mizuha and Elly exchanged glances and nodded. "Yes, we're free tomorrow. What's up, Shimizu? What do you have in mind?" Mizuha asked curiously. Shimizu grinned mischievously. "Well, I was thinking of hanging out around town tomorrow, going to karaoke, watching movies, and just having a great time together. What do you think?"
Mizuha's face lit up with enthusiasm. "That sounds amazing, Shimizu! Count me in. I'm always up for new adventures." Elly chimed in, her eyes sparkling. "I'm in too! It'll be so much fun exploring the town with both of you." As they made plans for the next day, Mizuha interjected, "Just one thing, though. I might be about ten minutes late. I need to meet someone before joining you two."
Curiosity sparked in Shimizu's eyes. "Oh, who are you meeting, Mizuha? Anything interesting?" Mizuha smiled mysteriously. "It's someone I've been meaning to catch up with. Don't worry, I won't keep you waiting for too long. I'll make sure to join you as soon as possible." Shimizu nodded understandingly. "No problem, Mizuha. Take your time and meet up with your friend. We'll be waiting for you."
The next day arrived, and Elly was the first to arrive at the designated place. Five minutes later, Shimizu arrived, and finally, after ten minutes, Mizuha arrived unexpectedly accompanied by someone—Akemi. Shimizu was shocked and asked Mizuha why Akemi was there. "Wait, Mizuha, why is she here?" said Shimizu.
Mizuha explained that she had invited Akemi to join them as well. Shimizu questioned Mizuha's decision, "Why did you invite her too? Don't you remember all the bad things she did to you earlier?" Mizuha assured her it was all right as they had already become friends.
Akemi approached Shimizu and Elly, bowing her head and said, "I apologize for everything I've done," expressing her regret. Elly somehow accepted Akemi's apology, but Shimizu found it difficult to fully accept, stating, "I don't actually accept it, but because of Mizuha, I'll accept your apology." Akemi then said, "Thank you, Elly and Shimizu. I hope we can get along from now on."
Then Mizuha and her friends went to karaoke, selecting their favorite songs and singing together. Shimizu kicked off the singing session with her favorite rock band song, followed by Elly, who chose a cute song. When it was Akemi's turn, her sweet voice resonated through the room. "I didn't know that you were this good at singing," said Mizuha. Akemi mentioned that she often went to karaoke, so she had plenty of practice. Finally, it was Mizuha's turn to sing her chosen song. This was her first time hanging out and going to karaoke with friends.
After singing, she asked her friends about her performance. Akemi replied with no comment, Shimizu said it was not bad but not exceptional, and Elly simply smiled and said it was okay. Mizuha was shocked by her friends' reactions. They didn't want to say her singing was not as good as theirs'. Shimizu encouraged Mizuha, saying that with practice, her singing could become as good as Akemi's. "With practice, your singing could become as good as Akemi's," she said. Elly agreed, offering her support. "Yeah, we'll support you," she said.
After karaoke, they went to the cinema to watch a movie. Mizuha asked Shimizu about the type of movie they would watch, "What type of movie are we going to watch?" and Elly guessed it would be a romantic movie, "I bet it's a romantic movie." However, Shimizu surprised them by revealing they would watch a horror movie. "Actually, we're going to watch a horror movie."
Mizuha and Elly were shocked and initially declined, but Shimizu teased them, asking if they were scared, "What, are you scared?" Mizuha and Elly put on poker faces and agreed to watch, despite their apprehension, "No, we're not scared. Let's watch it." Mizuha asked Akemi if she was okay with watching a horror movie, "Are you okay with watching a horror movie, Akemi?" and Akemi replied that she always liked them, "I've always liked horror movies."
In Mizuha's mind, she thought, "It doesn't work; her taste is similar to Shimizu's." As the movie was about to start, they entered the cinema hall.
During the horror scenes, Elly became scared and held onto Mizuha's arm, while Mizuha also felt scared but tried to hide her fear by covering her face. Shimizu, on the other hand, enjoyed the movie and munched on popcorn without showing any signs of fear. Akemi seemed to be enjoying it as well, sipping her drink, smiling, and occasionally laughing at Mizuha and Elly's reactions.
After the movie ended, they left the cinema hall. Shimizu and Akemi seemed unfazed by the movie, but Mizuha and Elly looked pale due to their earlier fear. Shimizu teased Elly that ghosts would visit her house that night, "Watch out, Elly. The ghosts might visit your house tonight," causing Elly to almost cry. Mizuha told Shimizu to stop, "Stop it, Shimizu," and Akemi smiled at their reactions.
Once everything had calmed down, Shimizu suggested stopping at a bookshop before heading home. Mizuha and her friends stepped into the cozy atmosphere of the bookshop, their eyes immediately drawn to the shelves filled with various genres and titles. Excitement brimmed within them as they embarked on their individual quests for literary treasures. As they explored the shelves, they noticed Shimizu engrossed in her own book selection nearby.
Mizuha, holding a stack of drawing tutorial books, glanced over at Shimizu, who had a pile of shonen manga in her hands. She called out, "Shimizu, have you found anything interesting?"
Shimizu looked up from her manga and grinned. "Oh, you know me. I can't resist the action-packed adventures of my favorite manga. These new volumes look promising!"
Mizuha nodded, her eyes glancing at Elly. "How about you, Elly? Any luck finding something you like?"
Elly, browsing through a section of shoujo manga, shook her head. "Not yet, Mizuha. I'm having trouble deciding which one to pick. They all look so good!"
Meanwhile, Akemi wandered towards the magazine section, where she found a display of the latest fashion magazines. Intrigued by the vibrant covers and stylish photographs, she picked one up and began flipping through the pages, immersing herself in the world of fashion.
As Mizuha noticed Akemi's interest, she walked over and asked, "Akemi, do you enjoy fashion?"
Akemi looked up, a smile playing on her lips. "Yes, Mizuha! I've always been fascinated by fashion and the way it allows us to express our unique personalities. These magazines are a great source of inspiration and creativity."
Mizuha nodded, her eyes filled with curiosity. "That's wonderful, Akemi! It's amazing how fashion can be a form of art. I'm glad you found something that captivates you."
While Mizuha and Akemi delved into a conversation about fashion and style, Shimizu approached Elly and noticed her dilemma. "Hey, Elly, need any help deciding?" she asked with a mischievous grin.
Elly looked relieved. "Yes, Shimizu, please help me choose. I can't make up my mind!"
Shimizu scanned the shelves of shoujo manga, her eyes lighting up as she spotted a particular series. "How about this one?" she suggested, pulling out a volume with a beautiful cover featuring a romance-filled illustration.
Elly's eyes widened, and a smile spread across her face. "Oh, that looks perfect! Thank you, Shimizu."
As they made their purchases and prepared to part ways, Elly and Shimizu bid farewell to Mizuha and Akemi, heading in a different direction towards their respective homes. "Bye, Mizuha and Akemi. See you tomorrow," they said. Mizuha turned to Akemi and expressed her intention to walk her home. "I'll walk you home, Akemi," she said.
They strolled together until they reached Akemi's house, their conversation filled with gratitude and satisfaction. "Thank you for inviting me to join you and your friends today," Akemi said, her voice filled with appreciation. "I truly enjoyed myself." Mizuha smiled warmly and replied, "I'm glad to hear that. We're friends now, after all."
With a final wave, Mizuha turned and made her way home, feeling a sense of contentment and gratitude for the day's events. The bonds of friendship had grown stronger, and Mizuha couldn't help but look forward to the many adventures they would share in the future.
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