Seven Days

"Well, this chapter is interesting." Akira read over the short, simple, and sweet chapter.

"What does it say?" Eri asked, looking up from her math homework.

"So, finally, your investments have started reaping. But don't be impatient; today is just a Hug day. Don't go beyond hugs, or you'll lose those bonuses gained earlier for no reason."

"No seriously, the whole thing is just stupid." She looked to Tenma, "Do you really..."

Her words trailed off as she looked at the terror frozen on Tenma's face. "Tenma?"

"Hug him? I CAN'T HUG HIM!!!"

"Why not? You've gotten this far. Why quit now?" Akira asked putting down the book.

"Because I can't hug him!" Tenma flailed, slamming her head down on the table.

"Really, Tenma, if you loved him you'd do anything to be with him. You have to be able to hug the man you love." Mikoto tilted her head and looked at Tenma.

Tenma pouted and covered her head with her hands. "But I can't! I know I can't. I'll freak out or something. He'll think I'm weird and probably won't ever want to date a girl who tried to hug him and passed out or something."

"You won't know until you try." Akira said firmly, standing up. "And you're going to try."

Mikoto jumped to her feet. "You have a plan, don't you?"

Akira looked at her. "Uh, duh."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"This. Is. Ridiculous." Mikoto fumed. "Why in the hell did I get pulled into this?"

"Didn't you want to help out your best friend?" Akira asked with a shrug.

"Yes! But I don't see why I had to be the one chosen to do this! What about you or Eri?!"

"I came up with the plan and Eri said she refused to participate in this before you did. Now remember, cute and cuddly. You both have to look marketable. Tenma, relax. Karasuma needs to be relaxed in order to want to hug you. The look you have on your face says you're constipated and ready to eat a bear with rabies."

Tenma forced herself to relax and plastered a smile on her face.

"If this works, I'll dye my hair." Eri noted with her arms folded.

Harima walked around the corner with his hands in his pockets thinking. 'How can I possibly get Tenma to hug me willingly?' Itoko had made it quite clear that he could always hug Tenma whenever he wanted to, but it was a huge difference from that and Tenma willingly hugging him back. And it was the latter that he was supposed to be going for. Imagine his surprise when he saw Tenma sitting next to Mikoto at a hand-made booth under a sign that said "Hug-A-Friend Fundraiser". He wondered if it still counted as a consensual hug even if he paid for it.

"Hey, Kenji." Akira called out and waved him over. "Would you like to receive a hug from one of your classmates?"

"What's the fundraiser for?"

"School field trip."

"To where?"

"Wherever we plan to go. It makes no sense to plan to go anywhere without even a penny towards the trip." Akira answered, her tone telling him to stop asking questions. "It's a dollar per hug. Get as many as you can afford."

The ten dollar bill he had seemed to suddenly burn a hole in his pocket. "Hm."

"KENJI!"

He whirled around to see a red-faced Hanai storming towards him. "Hm? What do you want?"

"Did you give Yakumo flowers on Monday?!"

'Great. This is just...great.' "And if I did? What's it to you?"

Hanai growled, deep and low like a lion getting ready to attack. "Did you...or did you not?"

"If you really want to know, you're gonna have to beat it out of me. Otherwise, shut your mouth and get the hell outta my face while you still can."

"Boys--" Mikoto tried to interrupt but it was too late. The wild animals attacked each other, fists flying through the air.

"Leave them be." Akira stopped her from getting up. "Here comes our target."

True enough, Karasuma was headed in their direction, eyes passing from store to store, window shopping as he walked along.

Mikoto leaned over and whispered to a shaking Tenma. "Keep your head on. All you have to do is open your arms when I elbow you and receive the hug, okay?"

Tenma nodded but it didn't seem as if she really heard or understood a word Mikoto had said.

"Hi, Karasuma. Would you like to support our fundraiser?" Akira asked, gesturing to Tenma.

Karasuma looked at Akira then at Tenma. "Okay."

Mikoto immediately elbowed Tenma and whispered, "Breathe."

Tenma instead held out her arms for the hug. Karasuma paid Akira and bent down across the little table, hugging Tenma. Her arms went around him in return...and didn't let go.

"Um, Tenma?" Mikoto poked Tenma. The girl suddenly went limp in Karasuma's arms, her head falling back.

"She's fainted." Karasuma observed.