A/N: Not enough Ultra Maniac fics to go around! ^^ So I wrote one myself. Hey~ *whistles* Pinoy din ako! Whoo~ we rock! *cough* A ficlet Nina/Yuta, for all you disheartened fans out there. I just watched the ending and it's so... sad. Damn. Even when they were playing as kids Yuta was still focused on Nina, neh? Bittersweet.
Disclaimer: I don't own Ultra Maniac. If I DID Yuta would've... Excuse me. I repeat, I don't own Ultra Maniac. *sigh*
***
Ojisama"Why do I have to do this again?" Yuta grumbled.
A little girl with light brown hair grinned as she fastened the cape on the disgruntled boy. "Because Yuta-niisan is a boy and the prince has to be a boy!" Nina smiled cheerfully, stepping back to admire her handiwork.
"Maya can do it."
"I'm a girl, baka! I can play princess." A girl with blonde locks declared.
"I wanna be princess!" Luna moaned.
"Luna can be prince."
"I wanna be princess!"
"I'd ruther gag myself than play the part of-
"I wanna be princess!"
"Who else can play it? We're all girls except you!"
"That's stupid!"
"You're stupid!"
"I wanna be princess!" Luna insisted.
The three glared at each other.
"Maa, maa," Nina waved her hands to dissipate the squabble. Their playtime would be reduced to nothing if a quarrel broke out between those three. She turned to the adamant boy. "Please, Yuta-niisan? Could you play prince for us this one time?" She looked up imploringly at him. She gave him every chance to refuse.
He glared down at her wide, hopeful eyes with every intention of saying no.
She gave him no chance at all.
"...Just this once."
Nina beamed. "Hai!"
Her eyes shimmered so brightly he would remember the joy of making her happy forever. He smirked suddenly. "-But on one condition."
"What's that?" Maya asked calmly, satisfied that he had given in. She was eyeing the wreath of leaves and flowers they had fashioned into a tiara. Oh, how it would feel to wear that lovely crown! She felt its delicate weight resting atop her head.
"I get to choose the princess."
The feeling vanished. Maya was about to object.
"Oooh, pick me, your Highness!" Luna jumped up and down and waved her hand as if she were in a crowded throng of watchers and couldn't be seen. She was directly in front Yuta, though. Maya wasn't about to be outdone. She blocked Luna from view.
"Pick me, your Maaaah~jesty," Maya breathed correctly, dropping a perfect curtsy.
Yuta surveyed the candidates with an air of haughtiness, flipping back his cape. He held his head in a high, dignified manner, enjoying the attention they were giving him. He picked up the make-believe tiara, fingering it as if he were bordering a difficult decision. "So, who shall I give this crown to?" He wondered loudly. Luna was making frantic gestures. Maya was wobbling lower on her curtsy. Nina giggled, eyes laughing that he got into the role so well. She bowed politely.
"Who shall be my princess? Hark, I've come to a decision." He had made the decision long before.
"Kneel, thou honored subjects." He tried to smile benevolently, but all that came out was his usual smirk, a little more amused than before. The girls bowed their heads in obedience. "Yes, Highness," Luna chirruped, nearly groveling. He passed Maya first. Not a chance. He strode past Luna, who was peeked from her position and looking like she had missed the last train home as he went.
Nina felt a something brush her head and looked up to find Yuta, no, the prince, taking her hand into his, eyes uncharacteristically serious. "Rise, fair maiden (Or whatever they're supposed to say). I choose you." Nina rose, rather surprised that Yuta would pick her over Maya. But then Yuta was like that. Unpredictable.
"Ojisama." Yuta loved the way Nina had addressed him. He loved her voice. He loved her.
"Yeah. So... you're my princess." Yuta broke the formality by answering flippantly, smirking as he always did. Yuta was Yuta, after all.
"Wanna dance?" He asked. Nina laughed. "Oh of course, my prince!" They danced. More likely, Yuta whirled her around and around.
"Ne, Yuta~! I'm getting dizzy!" Nina eyes were swirling. She fell, off-balance. Yuta caught her (as he always would) and they both flopped on the grass, laughing. Maya stood over them, hands on hips. "Neither of you act like you're supposed to!"
Yuta and Nina laughed harder. "Maya-chan is right," Nina agreed. "She is more princess-cesslike." Nina giggled as she fumbled over the words. Yuta laughed again. "I'd choose you to be my princess," He snorted. "-Because I'd never pick Maya-chan. So there's no real choice." He poked Nina. "You'll do. I guess."
"HIDOI!" They tussled on the grass.
If it was a foreshadowing of sorts they would not remember it. Luna would remember nothing of the memory. Maya would remember Nina being chosen over her. Nina would remember the make-believe dance she would one day have and live happily ever after. And Yuta...
Yuta would remember Nina's smile.
Forever.
owari~
^^ Reviews welcome. Bitin lang. _ Got the idea from the flashback of the last episode. Also, I thought that it would be cute if Nina called Yuta 'Yuta-niisan'. They were childhood friends after all.