Girls' Night In

[KIMURA MATSUMI]

Matsumi picked everything carefully. It was quite the occasion, to visit Sakura at her home. Apparently, it was the only way her parents would allow it. They didn't want her to spend the whole night outside. Sakura had been very polite but Matsumi picked up that it did not entirely pleased her, as in it had to be something they often did with her, preventing her from doing things with friends. But they allowed her presence for the night and so Matsumi wanted to make sure she was beyond any reproach. She was confident with her manners but made sure to be as polite as possible around them. If she even met them that is.

First was the outfit. She didn't want to go for something too flashy and opted for something a little closer to Sakura's own taste. She picked a cream sweater accessorized only a simple dark bow and clean dark pants - because the weather was still a bit too cold for skirts in her opinion. Same for her pajama, she picked a long-sleeved one with delicate flower patterns on it. She dug through her collection of shows for one to bring. She couldn't bring a ton, they could watch a few episodes but wouldn't even finish one show after all. After finding one she thought Sakura may like, she made her way to her home.

She thought it would be alright but she grew nervous seeing the house. It wasn't a house. She liked in a house. Sakura lived in a mansion. There was no other term to describe the place easily 2-3 times bigger than her own home, if not more. Even her father wondered if his daughter got the right address and stayed there in fear she had been fooled, watching her as she walked towards the door and rang the bell. He stayed a few minutes more, just in case, but seeing how she was not coming back, he figured it really was the right place after all and went back home.

Matsumi was intimidated, she couldn't pretend otherwise. She barely talked, mumbling incoherent greetings as she was allowed to remove boots and coat. She tried not to look around too much as she was taken to Sakura so they could have their girl's night at last.

Tag: KOIZUMI SAKURA

[KOIZUMI SAKURA]

Sakura was very happy that today was happening; she was going to spend time with a friend that was outside their household and her parents agreed to let her sleep in. It would be fun, and she was curious to see what show Matsumi decided to bring over for them to watch. She couldn’t say that she knew how to host a sleepover so Tomoyo-san was doing her best to guide her in what she should wear and what they should be doing. It might be silly but it wasn’t something that she had dealt with in the past. Sure, she had been spending time with Hanami but it wasn’t like spending time with a sibling this time. It was spending time with a friend and she hoped that Matsumi would have a good time as well. They had set a temporary bed in Sakura’s room for Matsumi to stay in and she felt like she could see what normal girls of their ages were doing and she was excited. Of course, Tomoyo would be there in case they need of anything but she believed that they could have some time alone where they could talk properly and enjoy the show!

When Matsumi arrived, Sakura could barely keep it together, probably looking like a young child. She had to restrain herself though; she did not want her parents to have a reason to not let her have other people in. It would be horrible if it ended up in a fiasco and she’d be restricted again. Tomoyo was the one who guided Matsumi once the staff of the house guided the girl toward Sakura’s headquarters. She was wearing a proper light pink dress that wasn’t too fancy or flashy but yet very feminine and had ribbons in her hair that matched it.

She started wondering what kind of impression it would leave on Matsumi to see her house knowing it wasn’t the average size and she sure hoped her friend wouldn’t get lost in the way. Thankfully Tomoyo was there to save the day if they needed it.

[KIMURA MATSUMI]

Matsumi knew that Sakura was old money, as in real old money, and that several people from school lived in very luxurious houses, but she was not prepared for that. It was the kind of home she saw only in movies and shows. It even made her wonder if her parents let a filming crew use their home once. Probably not, but Matsumi could already see some of her favourite stories unfolding in such setting. She thought she lived in a large house, but she also had three siblings to share all that space with. Her sister stayed in her room, which was definitely not enough space for all of their clothes but it had to suffice. She also had no staff living with them. There was a maid that came once a week but that was about it.

She had a long walk that felt like it took forever. Maybe it was just the stress. She wondered what kind of soirées they had here. Sleepovers must feel royal-like. Would a chef prepare the girls' snacks, with a pro to style their hair? And a screen the size of one from a movie theatre for the watchalong. She shook those thoughts away. She'd be fine with some good old regular sleepover.

She started to wonder where they were taking her when another person said she would handled her from now on. It made Matsumi frown. Sure, if Sakura had a maid assigned to her, it would make sense she would also take care of her friend but it almost felt like you needed some kind of credentials to come and go to certain areas of the house. It made her feel wholefully disqualified.

It vanished when she saw Sakura. She smiled brightly and waved as she skipped towards her. "I'm really grateful we were able to do that and for your invitation." She didn't want to speak about the house or the staff. She didn't want to sound rude or not good enough to be here by being stunned by all this. She raised the bag she carried with her containing her things. "I hope you'll like the show I picked. I tried to go with something I figured would be in your taste." It was a love story, as promised. And, with some luck, they would also get to talk of their own. Matsumi had yet realised that the older woman was still around and, had she, she likely would have assumed it was only to make sure everything was fine for their sleepover before leaving them to it.

[KOIZUMI SAKURA]

Sakura, unlike Matsumi was used to that kind of lifestyle. She always had house staff who were spending time around, and some even with her, like Tomoyo-san who was her designated maid. They mostly did that because her health was fragile since Hanami-san didn’t have any for her but it still was something that not a lot of people had. Unlike Matsumi though, she hadn’t been allowed to see a lot of people in her youth so when they let her go to Ouran it was a huge change for her and a positive one at that. She wanted to make the most out of it and see what they all had to offer. She still had an optimistic point of view on life too which helped a lot.

She couldn’t say that she was used to having sleepovers and it was mostly her maid that helped her plan what she should bring to spend some time with Matsumi. Being allowed someone home was such a big deal to her that she didn’t want to ruin it. Her room was vast, that was certain, and decorated with taste. It was light colored and furnished with ancient furniture too. Decorated with a feminine touch it was meant to bring joy in Sakura’s life when they would need it.

Tomoyo led Matsumi to her room and they were finally able to meet. She smiled at the girl, quite happy. “I am so happy you were able to come!” She said heart warmly. “I have my own bathroom over there if you want to change into your more comfortable outfit.” She said gesturing towards another door. The bathroom itself was rather vast too, with a large sink, an area for Sakura to do her hair and makeup as well as a large shower and a tub. The floors were heated for Sakura’s comfort as well. “Wonderful, we were wondering what kind of sweets you would like to have and bought a few.” She said getting to a tray that showed various candies and chocolate. It was rare that her family would let her do such a thing so she took the opportunity to go wild now that she could. There even had different pastries in the one at the top and salted snacks too.

[KIMURA MATSUMI]

Matsumi knew she was not the richest person in the school, but she also expected plenty of them to have a similar income, and a similar type of home. Maybe theirs was slightly more cozy. She shared a room with her sister after all and didn't have one of her own, but it was a very big room with plenty of space for the sisters and the many, many clothes they had. And beds, and desks and everything. Still, Sakura's room was quite impressive. Not just in size but in design also. She wondered if the antiques in the room were a choice Sakura made or something forced on her by whoever styled the room, it could be either really.

In this room, Matsumi couldn't help ut hug her friend. She knew it wasn't always proper, but she had to, even for a brief moment only. Sakura did look happy she came and it also warmed Matsumi's heart as she thought how often her friend might have wished for something like that only to be denied. In a way, it reminded her of Amaya. People could say she was scary and unapproachable - too would say that at times - but Matsumi was certain she would be hurt if the boys started to ignore her completely. She too needed people around from time to time.

She had a quick look at the bathroom door Sakura gestured to before smiling back at her friend. Thanks. I couldn't quite come here in my pajamas already," she joked. She lifted the bag she still had in hands. "I think you will like this show. I hope you didn't watch it before." She picked one where the male lead wasn't too actively going after the female lead. Someone a little more on the shy side. But they still ended up together. She thought it might give them some hope, as it resembled their own love interests. And some ideas as to what to do also, maybe.

Sakura also showed her a few sweets they got. "That's perfect. Some food, drinks and a good show, that's all we need!" They could do more. Matsumi expected they would talk a lot and not just about what they were watching. And if Sakura wanted to try other things people do during sleepovers, Matsumi was ready to make it a fun new experience for her friend. "Do you want us to get changed before we set the DVD in?" Considering Sakura was inviting her, she figured the television and player were prepared for the evening. But she didn't mind if they were to talk a little first.

[KOIZUMI SAKURA]

Sakura could tell that Matsumi was impressed by the grandeur of her house and bedroom but she had grown in this and to her, it wasn’t a big deal. She still let time to her friend to digest and feel the environment she would get to spend the night with her at. She couldn’t believe her parents finally agreed on letting her have someone over. She thought that she had made a good choice by having Matsumi as a choice since in her opinion; she had common sense and had a very good taste in general. She doubted her parents would want to send her home after one night! She had to hope for the best and to make sure that her parents would agree on letting this friend of hers come often.

She didn’t mind Matsumi’s hug, which she returned. She wasn’t used to it, as even Ichiro-kun seemed to have trouble doing this but considering that Matsumi was a girl, she could let it pass. She giggled a bit when Matsumi said she couldn’t come dressed with her pyjamas. “ I agree people might wonder what occasion you’re dress for!” She said. She beamed, excited at the idea of watching the said show. It would definitely be fun and she was certain that Tomoyo wouldn’t always be around watching over them.

“I’m sure I will!” She said happily. “I am glad that I got everything covered.” She added when her friend approved of what she had gotten for their little night in. “Yes, I do think we should get changed to make it feel more like a sleepover!” She said ready to get changed. “You can go in I will change in my closet!”. It’s not like she didn’t have space for that considering it was a walk-in closet!

[KIMURA MATSUMI]

Maybe the hug was a faux pas but Sakura's parents weren't there and her maid didn't seem too upset over it. Neither was Sakura, which was also important to note.

"I can leave it for you to continue too if you like it. Then we can talk about it at school," Matsumi offered. She doubted they would watch all eleven episodes tonight and if Sakura liked it, Matsumi had no problem leaving the DVDs here for her to finish it. Not to add that Matsumi expected them to talk a lot about Ichiro and Osamu, something else that would take on their watch time. But it was also a big reason why they were having this sleepover. Well, the other woman would have to leave first. Matsumi wasn't sure just how comfortable she would be discussing these things in front of her.

She smiled at how happy Sakura sounded over having prepared appropriately. "You didn't need to worry about it. it would have been fun even with less preparations," Matsumi assured. But Sakura really sounded excited. From what she understood, and could tell since she arrived, her friend didn't really have that kind of opportunities in her life before. It explained her excitement. Matsumi laughed softly and nodded as Sakura offered her to use the bathroom to change clothes. She went there. Sakura talked of her closet. Matsumi could guess where it was, by the doors, and supposed it was a big space for her to be able to change there and not in her room with the risk of her friend walking in her on if she changed faster. Despite that, Matsumi still took her time. Maybe to not wait alone in her room unsure of what to do in the meantime.

She brought a long sleeved pajama in pastel colors with a floral pattern on it. She folded her clothes neatly in her bag before heading out, hoping that was enough time for Sakura to come out more of less at the same time. They could then start the show. And who knows when the conversation would start. Matsumi knew she was a bit confused as to what to think about Osamu and was also curious if anything else happened between Sakura and Ichiro.

[KOIZUMI SAKURA]

Sakura beamed when Matsumi suggested she could let her have the show so they could talk about it when they’d meet at school. “That’s a wonderful idea! You’re so kind Matsumi-chan!” She said lightly. She couldn’t have a better friend than Matsumi that was certain. She too wanted to talk of Ichiro and Osamu so they could compared it to the drama. “We have to make it great, it’s the first to hopefully much more!” She added when her friend assured her that she had done more than enough. She wanted to be a great host, being at the host club on occasion helped her be like that.

Besides, she was always more open minded than her sister who was more on guard. Now that she was done, the ambiance at the club was slightly different but they still welcomed her around and entertained her when she needed to have her mind changed. She didn’t do the flirting, but she talked to them seeing them all like friends. Ever since her sister had introduced her to them she considered them dear to her.

Sakura went to her walk-in closet to get dressed helped with her maid. Tomoyo seemed to be happy for her and promised her that she would leave them alone for some time if they wanted to talk. The woman could understand that a teenager might want to talk with a friend and not only adults. She had a pink pyjamas made of silk and with a very neutral pattern. She was done changing and returned to her bedroom, glad that her friend was there. “Here we go!” she said happily, not minding how childish she might sound. It was a first to her and she truly wanted it to be perfect.

[KIMURA MATSUMI]

It was endearing how expressive Sakura could be. It made it feel like they were in a regular school. Every school pushed its students towards excellence but Ouran also loved dividing them into class, making it hard sometimes. Yet Matsumi felt none of that around Sakura. They could be just two ordinary teenage girls wanting to watch a tv show and talk about boys and whatnot. Matsumi had to admit she needed that.

She laughed as Sakura got more enthusiastic. "It would be nice." If that was Sakura's home however, maybe it would prove way harder than she first thought to invite her to her place. It was not a tiny apartment but she was sharing a room with her sister. And none of the bedroom came with its own bathroom or a walk-in closet. Well, her parents had a bigger one, but their home was more like a large house, not a manor like Sakura's. Matsumi never thought she should be ashamed of her home but confronted to the reality of her classmates' world, she did, if only a little. Osamu mustn't live in something this big but should she assume his parents' home was as big as the shared house he lived in right now, or some modern condo in a high-end complex? It could explain things.

She didn't want to linger on that thought however. She laughed again now that they were changed. She picked the DVD box. "Then let's go!" A good show, snacks in a comfy environment. The question will just be when they would talk, between episodes or before going to bed. But that was something they could decide as the evening went on.

[KOIZUMI SAKURA]

Sakura never looked down on others even though they were a class under her. She thought that everyone had a good personality. She was new to the world after all and barely saw that some people could be mean if they wanted to though, she never assisted with that herself. People liked her and talked to her often. She was also a welcomed member of the Host Club which would often entertain her when she needed to change her mind. She’d have to see if Matsumi was interested in meeting them someday, she bet that the girl would have a blast even if her heart was taken with someone already. Having a bit of conversation with others was always nice, she also liked Fujioka-san, he was very down to earth!

She was aware that Matsumi might not have a similar background to hers though and that their houses might be different. “By the way, you didn’t get too intimidated coming here?” They could talk of those things, she doubted that Tomoyo would tell to her parents if she ever admitted that it was a very big house and that she might have gotten lost had Tomoyo-chan not been around!

She grabbed a comfy blanket and a set of pillows they could sit on when they would watch the tv show. She had a sofa in her room if they wanted but she wanted it to be cozy and Matsumi not to be too shy about how new she could be to that type of environment. “Yes!” She said, picking a few snacks to her liking. She was interested to see what the show was about!

[KIMURA MATSUMI]

Matsumi was caught slightly by surprise by Sakura's question. Well, she would have to admit that she had been a tad intimidated. She never went to suh a big house before. It couldn't even be called a house. She lived in one, this was a manor or a small castle or something. "I think my father feared I might have gotten the wrong address or that someone played a prank on me, but I'm sure as soon as he saw me being invited in, he returned home," she said. Yes, it was a bit weird to go to a place like this one, to be reminded just how wealthy her friend's family had to be, far more than she might have previously imagined. She wanted to say that the woman who escorted her had been nice but she hesitated at first, not sure what title she was supposed to give her. Maid? Servant? Personnel? "I was well treated when coming here," she simply said, giving a small nod in gratitude to the woman.

"You already set a nice and cozy place," Matsumi said when she noticed what Sakura had done with the pillows and the blankets in front of the television. It felt quite warm, which was nice. And Sakura was eager to start the show, so Matsumi handed the DVD box. She didn't know whether it would be Sakura or her maid who'd set it in, but she figured it was less of a faux-pas to give it to her friend. Sakura could hand it over to Tomoyo if she wanted her to start it for them. She looked at the snacks and drinks to pick something for herself as well. She would only nibble on it right now but who was to say once the first episode would kick in. She hoped Sakura would like it. If not, she supposed they could also talk during the episode. Or even if she liked it, considering she offered to lend it to her. But, considering Sakura had never watched it, Matsumi decided to let her choose whether they should talk too or not.

[KOIZUMI SAKURA]

Sakura didn’t mind it if Matsumi thought that it was big, so much big. It was like a castle, a very big mansion with various areas that one could rest, a few living rooms, some formal, other less formal and she had a wing to herself. For someone who probably wasn’t used like she was to live in such a place it ought to be intimidating! Luckily, Tomoyo had been there to guide her through the place and since Matsumi had seen the woman a few times already, she must have felt less intimidated. She laughed a bit at her words. “I don’t blame you; I would have probably felt the same way.” She said kindly and honestly. Besides, being in a house as big as hers, also made it feel lonelier when there weren’t as many people as possible. She smiled and nodded when Matsumi told her that she was well treated. It was the least they could do, and she was certain that her parents would approve of that friendship she had with Matsumi. She was well poised and not too loud.

“Wonderful.” Sakura chimed when she approved of the setting that she made. She didn’t know how to do a sleepover and she was looking forward to Matsumi guiding her through this! They would have a fun night. She also wanted to get to watch the drama and see how it started. She wasn’t ready to talk yet, finding it interesting how they were setting the characters into it. They would get to talk of their respective relationships too but first, she wanted to have a taste of this show.

[KIMURA MATSUMI]

Matsumi knew she didn't live in as big a home as many of her classmates but she didn't think the difference was this huge. At the same time, she didn't know whether she was envious or not. A part of her thought it was natural to want something like that, but she also liked her home. Or maybe it was because her family lived in it with her, making it warm regardless of its size. "I'm sure they will wait with their phones near, just in case. Not that I'm implying anything bad, they likely would even if I went somewhere I was more familiar with and had easier transport access." As much as her parents would let their kids go out, they still wanted to let them know they were just one phone call away if anything bad happened. It was the perk of knowing how to drive a car.

The first episode played. Matsumi did her best to avoid any spoilers, commenting with a hushed voice on whatever was on screen and little else. She didn't want to reveal too much to Sakura, unless the girl asked her directly. She did pick a show where the male lead wasn't too actively pursuing the female lead. It was still obvious to the viewers they would end up together, but neither of them appeared quite aware at the start of how much they cared for one another. They seemed to get stuck together more by funny incidents getting resolved in an even funnier way by the end of the episode, with one or both sensing the connection between them and what it meant. The written buildup towards them eventually confessing and dating each other, something both Matsumi and Sakura aspired to.

"How did you find it?" she asked after the first episode ended. She was hoping to hear she made a right choice picking this one. And she also was letting Sakura choose whether to watch the next one right now or after a little talk.

[KOIZUMI SAKURA]

Sakura noddded, happy that Matsumi didn't feel too out of place once she had seen her home. After all, she was aware that her home was quite a big one and it was probably bigger than what she was used too. She didn't believe that Matsumi was poor though, knowing her friend wasn't a scholarship student and part of the B class but they differed in lifestyles. "It's nice to know that there's always someone around." She conceded. It was not like having Tomoyo around. It must be nice to have parents who cared. she figured that hers cared of her too but in a different way.

She was captivated by the show, and loved the drama that went along with it. It ressembled of her story with Ichiro on a lot of points. He was so quiet and reserved most of the time, that it was almost a miracle when he kissed her the other day. Not to add that when she thought he was interested in her, he treated her like a transaction when he claimed that he wanted to be engaged to her again.

"I like it, it's similar to our love story." she said with a small sigh. Matsumi was stuck in a similar situation to hers.

[KIMURA MATSUMI]

Matsumi had no idea what Sakura's relationship with her family was like. They didn't come and greet her, which it was something her own parents would never do, but she wasn't sure if that meant anything. They seemed to be watchful of their daughter, at least from what Sakura told her. Plus there was Tomoyo. Maybe they just trust the woman to protect Sakura when they couldn't be there to do it. It was why Matsumi simply nodded at what her friend said, not thinking it might lead her to consider her own situation.

Watching the episode, Matsumi thought about Osamu a lot. The guy was the type to be so serious that he could accidentally end up in crazy situations like the show put the characters through. But would it lead them to a similar outcome? Besides, she thought also of their date and what they said to each other. Well, mostly what Osamu said to her. Was it a good thing that he asked her to wait for him, what should she make of it?

She nodded once again in agreement to what Sakura said. "I hope our story ends up well too," she pointed out, not thinking it was as big of a spoiler as it may be, considering the whole point of this show was a love story. Spoilers were in how they ended together, not that they did. "Isn't this divide between sexes weird? Women wish it would be more like this but men argue it's embarrassing and wouldn't feel the same in real life. I think they need to watch a few more of those shows to get what we mean." Maybe public confessions would be too embarrassing and those situations too overly dramatic to have the same effect in real life, but even just a hint of those things in private would go a long way to a woman's heart. At least to Matsumi's opinion. But she supposed her knowledge in matters of love wasn't that much more than those shows they thought were not realistic.