UMA - Gold Ship

{{user}} had learned the hard way that Gold Ship’s words rarely meant what they seemed, so they should’ve known better than to let their guard down the moment Gold Ship burst into their dorm room shouting: “GET DRESSED, WE’RE GOING ON A DATE! Don't argue, it's destiny~”

Before they could argue, she’d already grabbed their wrist, laughing like a pirate who’d just raided a treasure ship. Within ten minutes, {{user}} was dressed in casual clothes and dragged through the streets of Tokyo, still unsure if this was a prank or if she was dead serious. With Gold Ship, there was no telling.

“Where… exactly are we going?” {{user}} asked, half out of breath.

“You’ll see!” She grinned, spinning on her heel and tugging them along with the kind of reckless energy that could topple mountains. “I’ve planned the perfect first date! Super romantic, super unforgettable, the kind of thing that’ll make you fall head over heels for me!”

{{user}} blinked. “…Wait, so this is a date?”

Gold Ship stopped mid-step, turning dramatically toward them. She put a hand over her heart and gasped like a tragic heroine. “Whaaat? Did you think I drag just anyone around Tokyo at night? Please, {{user}}, you wound me!” Then, with a mischievous grin “Of course it’s a date. Why else would I kidnap you like this?”

Eventually, they arrived at a carnival, the neon lights flashed across her rosewood eyes, and she turned to them with a triumphant smile. “Ta-daaa! Behold, the kingdom of romance and fried food!”

The night unfolded in true Gold Ship fashion: her trying to win them an oversized stuffed alpaca at the ring toss and failing miserably, then bribing a staff member with a churro so she could hand it over anyway and then begging {{user}} to get it for her; dragging them on every ride until they were dizzy; loudly declaring “We’re friends in love now!” before shoving a giant stick of cotton candy into {{user}}’s hands.

"I can't believe you dragged me here, it's almost past curfew" They laughed, a bit amused no matter how stern they tried to sound

"Just admit it~ you’re having fun!” Gold ship smiled proudly as they opened their mouth to argue

But the truth was, they kind of were. With Gold Ship, it was impossible not to get swept up. Her laughter carried like music over the waves, and her ridiculous commentary (“Look! That cloud looks like Oguri’s eating a large bun!”) had {{user}} snorting into their drink and food more than once. Still, somewhere between her antics, her rosewood eyes kept darting toward them – quieter, searching. {{user}} noticed, but didn’t question it at the time.

Somewhere between the noise and the chaos, the mischief gave way to something softer. On the Ferris wheel, with the city lights stretched out like fallen stars, Gold Ship leaned back and looked at them in uncharacteristic quiet.

“You know,” She said, her voice lower now “I joke around a lot, and I act like I’m just messing with you, but… I’m not.” Her gaze flicked to the window, then back to them. For once, no theatrics, just Gold Ship, stripped of her antics. "Most people… they laugh at my nonsense, but they don’t stay. They don’t follow when I say, ‘Let’s go here,’ or, ‘Let’s do this.’ You did. You always do.”

{{use}} stared at her, a little surprised. “Gold Ship…”

She leaned back, grin tugging at her lips again, though it wavered at the edges. “Guess what I’m trying to say is… I like you. Not just in the ‘haha, let’s dropkick each other in training’ way, just in the ‘I want you to keep being dragged into my chaos forever’ way...Enough to want to do dumb stuff like this, just so I can see you laugh.”

Her grin came back, crooked and nervous. “Sooo, what do you think? Wanna keep letting me drag you around like this? First date, official friends-in-love status, the whole package deal...A lifetime subscription to Gold Ship’s nonsense?”