Getting ready for university
Although Ayame wouldn't usually get embarrassed by this sort of thing, since it was Kasumi she couldn't help but go red.
'Now I understand why Anna was embarrassed.' Remembering how Anna looked away, it made sense to Ayame now why she did that. So Ayame hid her face behind her laptop screen to avoid eye contact with Kasumi.
"Come on~ it wasn't that bad, plus I looked away, didn't I?" Kasumi found Ayame's reaction adorable and made her want to tease Ayame.
"Stilllll!" Another factor why Ayame suddenly felt embarrassed was because she was self-conscious especially since this was her first time wearing such clothes.
"Pfft, cute." Kasumi chuckled to herself while watching Ayame continue to try to hide out of embarrassment.
"Ahem! A-anyway, this is the course." Ayame turned around her laptop while still hiding behind the screen since she was still blushing.
"Ohh I see." Kasumi decided to back down for now so she leaned in and read the course page trying to see what it would entail.
"Hmm, wouldn't you need some prerequisites in order to take the class?" Kasumi saw that you needed to have completed a certain level of maths as well as English to even apply.
"Oh don't worry, I was able to take homeschooling from m-my mother and get some basic education, plus we can pull some strings to get me in." Ayame knew getting in wouldn't be an issue as they were linked to the other kitsune families which were very powerful.
"I see, well let's both enroll right now and when it comes to choosing which time we want to attend the class I will come back." Kasumi clapped her hands, deciding that they would do the course.
"W-wait I still haven't decided if I want to do it yet." Ayame, being rather hesitant, still wanted time to think about it.
"No need to think about it, plus if you don't like it, just switch and you have me with you so what is there to decide." Kasumi shrugged, trying to help Ayame not be so restrictive with herself and just go for what she felt like.
*Sigh* "Fine I will do it." Ayame turned the laptop back around and started to go through the enrollment process.
"Hehe~ good, I will enroll as well now." Kasumi took out her phone and started doing the same thing.
"Also we should go out and get some stuff for uni." Kasumi needed to buy some things for uni and thought since they had time to take Ayame with her.
"Hmm? I do need to get clothes as well." Ayame liked the idea since she needed to go out and having someone with her will make it more bearable.
"Oh? Well, how about we head to the central mall then? We can get clothes as well as the supplies needed for uni." Kasumi smiled as it would also indirectly be a date.
"Good Idea! How much time do you have anyway?" Ayame wanted to leave as soon as possible and get the enrollment finished.
"I have 4 hours so we have plenty of time since it's just a 15-minute walk away."
"Nice sounds like a plan." Despite the rather tamed reaction, Ayame was freaking out on the inside, excited about heading into the city normally for once.
'Anyway, I should let Tomoe know about my course.' Once she calmed down from the excitement, Ayame quickly texted Tomoe she had decided on a course and the sound of running quickly approached her room.
"Show me!" Tomoe slammed the door open in excitement as her day just kept getting better and was struggling to contain it.
"Didn't need to slam the door!" Ayame thought she heard a crack and hoped the door wasn't broken as it was annoying to get things repaired.
"Oop, sorry sweetie, anyway you finally decided on a course?" Tomoe quickly went to Ayame's side to have a look.
"Yes and Kasumi will also be doing the same one." Ayame blushed a little because as soon as she mentioned Kasumi a grin appeared on Tomoe's face.
"Here I thought it might be Anna, but no, it looks like your real target is Kasumi~." Tomoe whispered into Ayame's ear to tease her and Kasumi giggled wondering if she should add fuel to the fire.
"W-what no! T-that's not my intention at all and what's with this sudden change? You used to be so strict!" Ayame knew what Tomoe was implying and was wondering where this lewd side of Tomoe came from.
"As I said before, you are an adult now and I no longer need to be as strict with you. I also think it's better if you get to know how I usually am now and the only reason why I didn't to begin with was…. For this kinda stuff." Tomoe having a rather lewd kind of humour, did not want to show this side of her until Ayame was older. This was also paired with trying to act like a typical mother as it was something she never intended to become in the first place.
"Hey~." Kasumi saw Ayame glance over after Tomoe's words, causing her face to go even more red as her thoughts went to all different kinds of places.
"Enough!" Ayame no longer wanted to be bullied anymore, so she pushed Tomoe away from her.
"That's not how you treat your mother, don't make me go back to being strict." Tomoe threatened to go back to being stone cold, making Ayame freeze.
"I-I…" Ayame was at a loss for words as she sat still trying to think of a way to get out of this.
"No need to keep teasing her, I think she has had enough." Kasumi chuckled seeing the duo, but instead of joining in, she defended Ayame.
"Yes! What Kasumi said!" Ayame instantly jumped on the defence and Tomoe sighed in resignation.
"Fine, we got off track anyway plus I was only joking. What is the course you are both doing anyway?" Tomoe sat down at the table between Ayame and Kasumi, getting back to why Tomoe was there in the first place.
"We will be doing Psychology." Kasumi answered Tomoe as Ayame was still a little flustered from all of the teasing.
"I see, I see, good choice." Tomoe agreed and assumed Ayame chose it as it would have some use in her job.
"S-so yeah, we were planning to apply today and go get the things we need." Ayame needed to shop for some more clothes and get supplies for during the lectures. She considered her laptop but preferred writing stuff down as she may be allowed notes in the exam.
"Ohhh, so a date, I like it." Tomoe did not let the chance to make a quick comment go.
"MUMMM!!!" Ayame wanted to pounce on Tomoe for all the teasing and it didn't help that Kasumi was smiling.
"Hehehe~ I will leave you to it, just use the usual account to pay for the uni as well as for your shopping date~." Tomoe quickly left the room before Ayame could respond.
"I-I… Urghhhhh!" Seeing Tomoe leave and not being able to retort back, Ayame let her head fall on the table.
"Quite the interesting mum you got there~." Kasumi leaned on the table while poking Ayame's head.
"Please, spare me the embarrassment, I feel my social battery is already gone." Ayame hadn't been on such a rollercoaster of emotions before and this more energetic side of Tomoe had taken her by surprise. She knew that Tomoe always tried to be a role model and there were times Ayame saw her act as she did now, but to be doing it so openly was not something Ayame was used to.
However, despite the chaos that has been her life the last few days Ayame was happy. She made 2 new friends Anna and Kasumi despite one being a daughter of some mega-corporation. Kasumi wanted to be free from that, so Ayame saw no trouble in befriending her.
"Fufu~ well we should finish enrolling." Kasumi opened up her phone back up and continued the enrolment process.
Ayame lifted her head and also continued enrolling on her laptop.
*
"And done." Ayame finally calmed down and finished enrolling in the psychology course. However, Kasumi wanted to press the button at the same time, so she sat next to Ayame waiting for her to finish.
"3… 2… 1… Go." Kasumi did a small countdown and on go they pressed the submit button.
"Sweet, now we just have to wait." Ayame knew the pay would be dealt with by Tomoe and it was only a matter of time before she started.
"Did we want to head out and do some shopping now? We need to get you some new clothes." Kasumi smiled as it had been a while since she had gone out and actually went to a store since most of her things were ordered online.
"I-I guess." Ayame after thinking about it more didn't know if she could since Anna would be the only one at the shrine, but Tomoe's teasing suggested it was okay.
"Good, then let's get going then, I don't have too much otherwise my guards will come hunting me down." Looking at the time she sighed as if they don't leave soon, they will have to cut it short.
"Alright, I will follow you." Ayame was a bit afraid to be going out, but she needed to get used to it, especially with going to university soon.
Kasumi getting confirmation stood up and then helped Ayame get up as well.
"I will let my mum know that we are going, you can wait outside." Ayame didn't want to leave without letting Tomoe know even though there was bound to be teasing.
"Alright." Kasumi nodded and made her way out of the house while Ayame went to Tomoe's office.
Knocking on Tomoe's door, a voice came from it telling whoever it was to come in.
"Hey, M-mum I will be heading out now with Kasumi." Peeking her head through the door, Ayame saw Tomoe giggling to herself after she said mum.
"Hehehehe~ Stay safe sweetie and don't worry about the shrine, Anna and I will look after it." Tomoe was happy to be called mum and so she decided to not tease Ayame this time.
"Thank you." Ayame, getting her confirmation, quickly shut the door and made her way to the front.
Kasumi was by the door waiting and spotting Ayame approaching began to walk out.
"All good?" Kasumi looked back to make sure things were okay and Ayame nodded.
Putting on her shoes, she followed Kasumi out and they made their way out of the shrine grounds.