Title: Defying the Facts
Pairing: Marui/Ann
Disclaimer: I do not own PoT, happy?
Summary: Never did Ann thought of giving the cake she had just bought for her brother to anyone until a certain redhead from the school Rikkai forces her to do so, resulting to weird mishaps and unfortunately, crushes. For Shurikan0
Fact no 1: When it comes to sweets, always be reminded that a certain bubblegum crazed boy named Marui Bunta is there to devour them for you…
Ann just got out of a certain bakeshop, where she bought a strawberry cake for her brother. Her brother, Kippei will be arriving from a tennis camp and it had been long since she last saw him. Now that he had returned, she decided to get something for him. Strawberry cake, her brother's favorite. She carried the bantam box as she walked through the nearby park, also one way home and a place to hang out and a place to have some time alone. She always passes by that peaceful park on her way home and she always stops by to play on the creaky swings. Nobody ever goes to that certain place; no child ever goes there to play. It was deserted, quiet and rather tranquil. She enjoyed her every visit there; it gave her time to think, time of peace. But somehow, it would be different today, because someone, someone unfamiliar had intruded her place of quiet and serenity. She paused and looked at that particular someone before she could even enter the place.
"Nggggh… Where is that stupid Niou?" The whiny voice asked and it came from some redhead. "I'm totally lost! And I'm hungry!" The person continued as he wandered around the park. Ann stared even more.
The said person had an impatient look on his face. Ann assumed that he was looking for someone and had been looking for that individual for quite a long time. She sighed. She didn't want to get involve on other's problems so she decided to leave the spot. But before she could take her turn to leave, the redhead called out on her.
"Hey you!" He shouted, trying to get her attention. She raised her brows on him and pointed herself, asking if she was the one he called on. The guy nodded and blew a bubble from the gum he chewed. "Yeah, you with the messy hair! Will you come here for a second?" The person shouted again. Ann twitched at his remark before she approached him.
"Do you know where this place is?" He asked and pulled a piece of paper out of his left pocket and handed it too her. She got the paper and read it.
"Oh…It's located at the second street on your left." She said and pointed at the street she was talking about.
"Really? Just there?" He asked and looked where she was pointing. She nodded and he smiled at her. "Thanks, messy hair!"
"Will you please stop calling me messy hair?" She told him but he kept on eyeing the street and made steps little by little near it. "Hey,"
"Well, it's true… It keeps on going to your face." He finally spoke and eyed her. Then he noticed the box she was holding: a cake box. His eyes sparkled with joy.
"Even though. Just because I'm not wearing my clip on, doesn't mean that it always goes to my face. And besides, the wind—" She stopped when she noticed that he wasn't paying any attention at what she was saying at all. Then he suddenly spoke up.
"Hey, is that cake?" He asked, his eyes still gleaming with delight. Ann looked at him oddly as she saw him smiling at the torte she was holding. Then he asked again. "Is that cake?"
"Yeah, so?" She replied. His smile even grew wider as he came closer to her. "What?"
"Can I have it?" He pleaded. Ann sweatdropped and shook her head a 'no'. He pouted at her. "Please? I'm really hungry. I haven't eaten since eight in the morning." He informed her.
"But it's only been two hours." She answered. "And it's not for you, it's for my bro."
"Can you just give me a piece? Please?" He pleaded even more.
"You know what, I have to go." Ann said and turned around to leave. But before she could take a step, he tugged her shirt to stop her from walking. She looked at him. "I really have to go home now." She said and started walking again. He just followed her.
"Will you stop following me?" She said without looking at him and continued walking. "I'm not giving this to you no matter what."
"Why not?" He asked and blew another bubble from his gum.
"Because…It's not for you." She told him and still continued walking. "And besides, I don't even know who you are." She told him again but did not bother to look at him.
"Then I'm Marui Bunta, will you give it to me now?" He pleaded and blew a bubble yet again. She paused. That was a familiar name: Marui. She finally turned to look at him.
"Marui Bun—?"
"Ahhhh!"
Fact no. 2: When gum gets stuck on your hair, don't try to remove it yourself. Always remember that there are haircutters to do that for you.
An irritated Ann sat on one of the seats of the salon. She entered the place about ten minutes ago. Now, she was about to let the haircutters cut her beautiful, brown hair and the reason was none other than Marui Bunta.
The time that Ann turned around to look at him, Marui was too close behind her that the bubble that he blew from his gum had gone stuck on the ends of her hair. It was quite sticky so Ann tried to remove it quick. She was successful on doing so but Marui made it worse. He spit the gum out (because of panic) and it landed on her side hair. They both panicked and tried to remove it but it only spread more. Ann let out an irritated sigh and stopped Marui from trying to remove the gum on her hair. She walked away and Marui followed her, apologizing again and again. Then he suggested that she should go to a hair salon to remove the gum or cut the hair. He even offered to accompany her there but she did not want to get herself involve with him again so she declined. But the boy was persistent and wouldn't leave her so he dragged her to the salon himself. And that's how she ended up at the hair salon.
Ann glanced at Marui who was seated on one of the chairs and reading a magazine. She gave him a small glare. Marui noticed her and looked at her. He gave Ann a peace sign and mouthed sorry before he looked at the magazine again. Ann sighed.
"Ma'am, how should I cut your hair? Layered perhaps?" The haircutter asked. Ann thought for a moment, then she decided.
"Umm no, just trim the part where there's gum." Said Ann. Good thing it was only the tips that got gum on it or else she would have to cut her hair really short.
"Hey, why don't you get your hair banged?" Marui suddenly suggested.
"Bangs?" Ann raised a brow. "No way, that's too annoying for me to handle."
"But it would look good on you! I guarantee it. I'm a tensai after all." Said Marui, rather proudly. Ann sighed and gave him another glare. Marui blinked innocently.
"And wasn't a tensai like you supposed to go somewhere away from me?" She shot at him. Marui pouted.
"I'm not playing your glare game. And I'm serious about the bangs." Said Marui a little bit serious, also ignoring the question.
"That's a rather fine idea Ma'am. Bangs would totally look good on you." The haircutter said and smiled. "Your boyfriend has good taste."
Ann frowned at the girl. "He's not my boyfriend. Fortunately." She said. Marui glared at her.
"Heeey…Why'd you say fortunately?" Marui intrigued. "You'd be so lucky if you were my girlfriend."
"And I thought you weren't gonna play my glare game…" Ann smirked. Marui rolled his eyes. "No one would be lucky if their boyfriend is some arrogant sugar-crazed boy like you."
The haircutter smiled at the fighting teens. It's somehow amusing to look at them, having petty fights like that. "So, let us cut your hair banged as your boyfriend suggested, ne?"
"He will never, I repeat, NEVER be my boyfriend." Ann stated. Marui eyed her then looked at the haircutter.
"Cut it that way. I know better." Said Marui, crossing his arms and looking away.
"No." Said Ann, automatically. The haircutter smiled at them again.
"Let's follow your boyfriend's suggestions, madam." She said. "I'm sure that it would look really good on you."
Ann gave up, looking at the two rather persistent individuals. She knew that they wouldn't stop until she agrees. She sighed again. "Fine." The other two smiled.
Fact no. 3: Agreeing to let Marui treat you cake after he gave you so much trouble won't be such a bad idea.
Marui and Ann went out of the salon. Marui gave Ann a cheeky grin and Ann she only closed her eyes and kept on walking. Marui then suddenly grabbed her hands and handed her something soft. Ann opened her eyes in surprise and looked at what he gave her.
It was a long lace of ribbon, colored with the shade of red. Like the color of a beautiful crimson rose. It was really silky and soft and Ann was totally amazed by it. It would really match her hair, if she would wear it. And it would be far more graceful and attractive than wearing a simple clip. Ann then directed her gaze at Marui.
"The girl from the salon gave it to me a while ago." Marui explained. "I just thought that you should wear that so things like this won't happen to you again."
"Thank you." Ann muttered. "I never thought that you could be sweet." She said and pocketed the ribbon.
"Well, tensais can do anything after all." Marui smirked. Ann rolled her eyes.
'Sweet yet arrogant…'
"Ne Tachibana, will you give me the cake now?" Marui suddenly asked. A vein popped on her head.
"First, you put gum on my hair. Then you asked me to cut my hair with the style you want and you still want me to give the cake to you?" Ann twitched.
"Hey, hey. Take it easy. I was only kidding!" Marui laughed at the fuming girl. "I was just wondering if you would like to eat cake with me, since, you know…I got you into a lot of trouble."
"Well, if it's your treat." Ann said and Marui smiled at her. "Okay."
"Great!" Marui exclaimed as he dragged Ann. "Now, where's the bakeshop?"
Ann sweatdropped. "So, that's why you invited me…You don't know where it is, don't you?"
"No clue." Answered Marui. "Now come on! I'm starving!"
Ann laughed at him and Marui pouted. She patted his head and pointed at the direction of the bakeshop, still laughing. Marui also laughed and dragged her towards the direction she was pointing. Ann followed him and smiled. Soon, Marui would remember that he had forgotten to meet up with Niou at the Sports shop they agreed to meet each other. But the heck, it would be more fun to eat cake with a girl whom you had just caused trouble on then talking about what are the plans for the next tennis tournament they're gonna join.
Fact no. 4: Marui likes girls with ribbons.
OWARI
A/N: So how was it? Tell me and leave a review! This is for Shurikan0, who also made me a Maru/An fic: Sweet. This will be my thanks for that awesome fic she wrote for me and I hope this would be good enough… T.T I hope you enjoyed this one and inspired you to make more fics about them! Spread the MaruAn (KiriAn) love! Yay! Thank you for reading! Oh, and for those who have read my other fic, Of Clips and Ribbons (KiriAnMarui), I will be updating maybe tomorrow. Sorry for the super late update! Gomen, gomen. Again, thank you for reading!