Giving Hinata a smile and a nod, he retrieved a glass from one of the shelves, filling it with the caramel-colored cold coffee, to top it up with a small hill of whipped cream, and put it before her, while he stuffed his own mouth with the green salad, here and there dotted with pieces of red tomatoes and fish. His attention centered in fishing the tasty pieces up in proportion to the less tasty ones, till his question pulled him out of thought, and he raised his head to her.<br/><span style="color: #FFBFFF">“Is there anything left in your closet for me to evaluate or is it all over your living room?”</span>she asked.<br/>He opened his mouth to answer, thinking for a moment, to then simply reach into his hair, chuckling nervously.<br/><span style="color: #BFFFFF">"Ehh... You can dig through if you like treasure hunts... Without the treasure, that is, haha..."</span>he uttered, shrugging sheepishly.<br/><br/>His hand was halfway to his mouth with a piece of food when she spoke those horrendous words. For a moment, he stared at her blankly, eyes widened into a nearly impossible size.<span style="font-style: italic">Shopping?</span><br/>Screaming internally, he slowly filled his mouth with the salad, mechanically chewing the small bite and forcing it down his throat. He hoped she wasn't serious, but the silence... Was most likely a testament to the exact opposite. Slowly - and very slowly at that - he finished the salad, putting the empty plastic box on the counter.<br/><br/><span style="color: #BFFFFF">"If I have to... Well... Then..."</span>he started, looking up at the ceiling with his hands behind his neck, doing everything to avoid looking into Hinata's eyes.<span style="color: #BFFFFF">"I guess I have to... Like... Get ready... Yeah, get ready... Gimme ten minutes..."</span>he excused himself out of the kitchen, hurrying to get out of there as fast as possible without appearing impolite.<br/><br/>Quickly shutting the door behind himself and closing himself in his room, he threw himself onto the bed, quickly grabbing his phone.<br/><span style="font-family: Lucida Console;">Did you send her to go shopping with me?</span>he sent a text to Ishida, just after pressing 'send' rolling over on the covers.<br/>As it was typical, the orange-haired editor replied within a few minutes, as the short sound of an incoming message reminded Naruhiko.<br/><span style="font-family: Lucida Console;">Shopping with you? Not at all, I just suggested her to help you.</span>the text read.<br/>He frowned at the phone's screen. Just what exactly did Ishida mean by helping him?<br/><span style="font-family: Lucida Console;">'Help me' in what sense?</span><br/><span style="font-family: Lucida Console;">In the self-same sense it reads, just help you. She's your assistant, I'm only an editor suggesting advice and help, after all!</span><br/><br/>Breathing out in fury, Naruhiko's brow furrowed further. He didn't need to go shopping!<br/>Finally digging out of the bed, and leaving the phone like a dark rectangle amid the white bed covers and pillows, he approached the door with an expression of determination. He walked straight through, back to the kitchen, where he suspected Hinata would still be. He stepped almost theatrically into the doorway, raising his chin, and clenching his fists.<br/><span style="color: #BFFFFF">"Tachibana-san, I have enough clothes! I don't need to go shopping!"</span>he exclaimed, putting a deal of his confidence as big as possible into that statement. Despite his previous statement, he was still dressed in that checked shirt and boxers, which put his rather pale skin in full view, hair hanging around his head in the most ridiculous of unbrushed angles.