The day was coming to a close, and it was almost time for Raichi and Yaori's second diurnal park visit. It was something the two would definitely be looking forward to, at least that's how Raichi felt about it.

Their first one was… sudden, but it was very serene. It was so satisfying that they had promised to do this whenever possible every day after school. Spending a proper, private moment with Yaori was something he was wishing for. And Yaori felt the same.

As she was packing her bags, anticipating the audible ring, she was fidgeting, but looked a little indecisive. She nervously glanced over to Raichi, their eyes meeting briefly.

Though Raichi was the first one to turn away, perhaps more hesitant to remind each other to walk together again. However, Raichi's shy behavior was slightly off, and there must have been some reason for it. Just when it seemed like Raichi had gotten used to the merged seat, he had suddenly turned away.

Is… something wrong?

Yaori took this as a sign that she would take the lead this time around, nodding to herself, which didn't go unnoticed by Raichi.

At that moment, the final bell echoed through the room along with the teacher's dismissal. The teacher gave the usual reminder to do the homework, which went in one ear and fell out the other of students who had wanted to get home priority.

Seeing most of the gossipmonger students make their leave, Raichi could feel the familiar tension in his chest ease slightly, but it was still present, weighing him down vaguely.

Raichi's mind was still on their promise, however. It was a pact, a quiet and simple routine. But the implications that rose with it were more complex than they were, especially after today's events. It had taken on something that Raichi had only just grasped the meaning of. The pact meant that they would not only go to the park, but they would walk together every time they did so.

Of course, the first time they had leisure time in the park, it was a tranquil moment to breathe. But now, the path they had to embark on before they got there wouldn't be so easy to get through. Their classmates, as far as they could see, would see them spend even more time in each other's company.

The thought of it— the significance it had made was heavy, and made him a little anxious despite Yaori's reassurance. His hand hovered over his bag strap, until Yaori broke the ice, offering him a helping hand to get up from his seat.

''Shall we go then, Sato-kun?'' Yaori smiled brightly at him, tilting her head. ''I–I brought my book with me this time!''

Raichi was hesitant to tell Yaori about his fears again. The smile she had given him again just now— he couldn't imagine it fading because of his lack of self-confidence. He took her hand with determination, a slight nagging feeling of anxiety kept bay with Yaori's gentle smile.

However, that didn't stop him from stating his mind, even if unwilling to break such an important promise.

''H-Hey, Yamada-san…'' he started, hesitating. ''Don't–Don't you think that… if we walk every day like this again, it would just give the gossipmongers more to talk about…?''

Yaori calmly listened to him, lowering her head in thought. She quickly reverted back to her bright self, her expression unwavering.

''They might… but—'' She steadied her gaze, directing her smile right at him. ''But… I wouldn't— no— I won't worry about that. And… you don't have to, either. If it means spending time with you, Sato-kun… then I guess I'll just have to face those rumors head-on, for you, and I.''

She had given the most Yaori-like response she could've ever given. It was sincere, pure, and filled with her resolve. And Raichi could feel his breath catch.

A slight warmth crept up his cheeks, and he smiled to himself in response, grateful for Yaori's support. He gave her a nod, matching her smile.

''I– You're right, Yamada-san… I'd do the same. Let us go, then.''

''Y–Yeah… let's.''

As they turned to leave, he noticed Hiroshi and Hara waiting by the door, watching curiously. The first time he went on a walk with Yaori, he notified Hiroshi about it, but this time, his friends were patiently waiting to walk home together again. He awkwardly scratched his back as they approached them. He nodded at Hiroshi.

''Hey, uh– I'll be walking with Yamada-san today. You guys can go on without me.''

''You got it, pal. Enjoy yourselves, alright?'' Hiroshi did a thumbs-up. ''I know this is something you've been looking forward to.''

''I… I guess so. See you then.''

''See ya!''

Returning the smile, Raichi sprinted back towards Yaori, catching up with her. Hiroshi and Hara watched them take their leave, with Hiroshi grinning from ear to ear, his leg leaning back on the wall, exuding confidence, and a hint of pride. He shook his head, slightly frustrated.

Hara turned toward Hiroshi with slight disbelief and curiosity. At that point, the two bookworms were already well within out of earshot.

''Kimura-kun… I've started to recognize that look on your face. Did you have a part in how close they've gotten recently?''

Hiroshi scoffed mischievously. ''Hehehe. You'd be correct.'' He nodded, crossing his arms, looking mighty pleased with himself. ''I gotta give it to them too, though. I didn't think going to the mall together would be enough alone.''

Hara thoughtfully stared into the distance. ''Going to the mall…'' Until the realization hit her. She immediately looked at him, raising an eyebrow. ''Wait a minute—! Are you talking about the mall trip where you didn't even tell me that we were going at all?''

''Oh–Whoops… I apologize, hehe. '' Hiroshi laughed, scratching his head sheepishly. ''It–It must have slipped my mind… although, it seems to have given them the push they needed. I'm glad my buddy Ayaka-chan and I are on the same page.''

Hara quickly pouted, crossing her arms and turning away in a taunt. ''But I still wanted to go to the mall… wait— who is Ayaka-chan?!''

----------------------------------------

As the two bookworms arrived by the gates, there already was a sensible amount of scrutiny.

Although it seemed to be similar to the average looks Yaori used to receive, and Raichi could feel how they were examining the two of them as a whole. The occasional glances from curious strangers and students weren't exactly unexpected when he was walking with Yaori.

He walked beside her, anticipating the calm and gentle breeze of the park, and the ripples of the small pond beside the bench they sat last time on. To share a book under the trees with its drying pedals, and to read it thoroughly, sharing their presence as well as the book itself, feeling time itself stop.

I really can't wait…

Their steps were in an easy rhythm.

Even though Raichi had been walking in sync subconsciously, he read an article on how important it was to match your pace when walking with another person, and had taken notice of such a small everyday detail.

He was so lost in fantasy that he didn't even notice how close they were walking. They had already reached the park, and Yaori's sudden stop was what took him out of his imagination.

Raichi looked back at her as her expression shifted. She looked down at her bag and riffled through it in slight haste, bringing out a small crumpled piece of paper.

''Is something wrong, Yamada-san?''

Her face turned rather apologetic as she held the paper in her hands, letting out a soft sigh of frustration.

''I–I think I completely forgot…'' She avoided meeting his gaze momentarily. ''It is my shopping list…''

''...Shopping list?'' Raichi tilted his head in wonder. ''You had to do shopping today?''

She looked up at him, smiling sorrily. ''I did promise Nee-san that I'd pick up the ingredients for tonight's dinner… I was so lost in the worries and excitement of the day that I almost forgot…''

She glanced toward the park with a slight pang of disappointment and jealousy, holding her hands on her chest.

''Sorry for… dragging you along with such expectation, I didn't realize until we reached here, either…''

Oh– Oh well…

Raichi thought, slightly discontent because of his impatience during their walk. He tried to mask it, but the truth was that he really wanted to spend some more time together with Yaori. With their unsuccessful daily park visit, he couldn't hide his anticipation.

He glanced back and forth from the park to Yaori, who still had her gaze fixated on him, likely waiting for her apology to be heard. Suddenly– an idea sparked up in his mind, and without a word, he took action.

''Well–then… would you mind if I joined you on your supermarket trip? I don't have much else to do either way.''

Yaori's eyes widened in surprise, her cheeks warming up slightly. She anxiously spoke up.

''Um– would you really like to join me? I–I don't want to impose…''

Raichi jokingly raised an eyebrow in response, chuckling lightly. ''I-Impose? I feel like I should be the one asking that…''

''Y-You don't need to come along, y'know…'' Yaori said pleasingly, endearingly lashing out. ''You've had a long day today, Sato-kun. I wouldn't want to burden you with this…''

Raichi hesitated before speaking up in a slightly saddened tone.

I just can't explain it, but… even I am shocked as to how comfortable I am right now. And I can't help but be a little selfish, and make a request.

''But– if you won't be able to join me today… then I just wouldn't go to the park at all.''

Yaori curiously looked up at him, attentively listening to what he might say next. He continued,

''Because… I made the promise to go to the park every day… so that I could spend time with you.''

She stood there, mesmerized. Tears of happiness rose in Yaori's eyes before she wiped them away, smiling petitely. A rosy tint took over her features as she nodded at him.

''I–I… understand now. Thank you so much, Sato-kun. Then– it'll be nice to have company. I appreciate it.''

Raichi put his arms together and turned away, pouting. ''Again. I should be the one saying those things…''

''Hehe. In that case… I hope you will be okay with a little shopping trip. It won't be as relaxing as the park.'' She teased, poking him on the shoulder. ''You did say you wanted to come along, after all.''

''You–You got that right!'' Raichi reacted bashfully. They stared at each other briefly, before Raichi turned away. ''Don't–Don't make me repeat myself…''

''Oh, don't you worry, Sato-kun. If you want some company, then all you have to do is say so…''

She chuckled cutely, which had Raichi absolutely flustered. He couldn't afford to look at her in the face after that.

Guess I shouldn't have said something so cheesy with such a straight face. But… it doesn't change how I feel.

He thought, now satisfied. He firmly held the tip of the strap of his bag as they kept walking, his cheeks still visibly red. Their footsteps turned into ambient noise as Raichi attempted to put himself back together. His attention was suddenly grabbed by a yellow petal that passed by in front of him, getting stuck on his hand before being swayed by the wind. He looked around nearby, seeing a pair of women looking at them with their hands covering their mouths, smiling.

Tch! Stop looking at me like that… the one thing I hate more than condescending looks is that of pity.

He just resorted to looking down all bashfully, instead. That may be for the best as of now.

All the while, Yaori kept her gaze on him, smiling warmly. Despite her teasing, she did appreciate Raichi's words. And deep down, she knew it was mutual.

She had grown quite fond of him throughout these past days they've known each other, and in such little time.

I hope you don't mind my shopping being a little later than usual, Nee-san… I want this moment to last a little while longer, hehe.

The silence was comforting, and something inside her actually enjoyed seeing Raichi so embarrassed. Perhaps it was rather sadistic, but Yaori didn't have an idea herself. Usually, Raichi's thoughtfulness would have Yaori on the ropes, but this time, Yaori had somehow turned the tables.

Raichi eventually returned to his usual state as they were approaching the supermarket, entering inside.

As they stepped inside, Raichi immediately looked around in search of the shopping baskets, making sure to grab one before Yaori did. She curiously peered Raichi down from the basket on his hand to his face, suddenly grinning slightly, putting her hand on her chin.

''I assume you insist on carrying the items, Sato-kun…''

''I do. After all, I was the one who asked to come along, right?'' Raichi said, playful yet serious. ''It's only fair.''

She chuckled lightly before raising an eyebrow. ''If you're that keen on helping Sato-kun… then, of course, I won't stop you.''

''Thank you. Now, lead the way, Yamada-san.''

The pair of bookworms started down the produce line. Raichi observed as Yaori looked up and down through all the veggies and fruits, all in separate baskets, laid down meticulously. She crouched down to reach for the tomatoes, looking through the big, the small, the slightly green, the bright red. She grabbed each one she found to be her liking. Raichi was rather lost in thought, seeing Yaori so effortlessly eliminate between the good and the bad, but quickly returned to what he was supposed to do. He crouched next to her, ensuring the basket was within her reach.

Woah…

Yaori smiled warmly at him as she put all the tomatoes in the basket, and Raichi stood there, gaping momentarily.

They moved onto the other vegetables on Yaori's list which was a small crumpled piece of paper. As they were in front of the onion basket, Raichi spoke up.

''Do you… do this often, Yamada-san? Y'know… shopping like this.''

She briefly turned toward him, nodding before quickly diverting her attention back to the onions in front of her.

''Yup. You see… Nee-san is often busy. And I… want to support her in any way I can. I like to help out, and it has become some sort of a routine ever since Nee-san became aware of it…''

''Oh– I see. Then, you've likely got a good handle on how this works.'' Raichi said, impressed with Yaori's capability. ''I'd probably just… pick whichever ones looked okay enough.''

Yaori laughed softly, as she reached for the spinach basket right beside in order to demonstrate.

''There is a bit of a technique to it, I guess.'' She played around with the small piece of spinach, turning it a few times in front of Raichi's eyes. ''The crisp leaves are usually the freshest ones, and the tomatoes we picked are bright, a little firmer, and average size. See?''

Raichi comically looked back and forth between the tomato and spinach, his eyes lighting up with piqued interest, letting out an audible sound of realization.

''I should probably take notes… If I would've known I had encountered Yasai-sensei herself, I would've brought a pen and piece of paper–!''

Yaori, ever so confident now with Raichi's compliment, laughed cockily.

''Fufufu! Trust me, as Yasai-sensei, I'd give you a lesson so good–'' She said, raising her arm up, curling it, pretending to flex. ''By the end of it, that spinach in our hands would give you the muscles of a thousand men!''

Raichi just couldn't hold in his smile, and chuckled rather aloud at Yaori's adorable muscles, or lack thereof. He held his hand up to his mouth, hiding his laughter.

''Hehe. I like the sound of that.''

They strolled down the aisle toward the section with seasonings among other things. Yaori paused to grab a bottle of sesame oil, examining it with quiet focus. She spun it around, reading its label. Turning her eyes towards Raichi, she inquired,

''So, Sato-kun…'' She flashed a small grin. ''Do you help out cooking at home?''

''Uh–me?'' Raichi awkwardly pointed to himself, laughing. ''I–I can do the basic stuff…''

''Basic stuff as in…?'' Yaori teasingly raised an eyebrow. ''C'mon, tell me.''

''Y'know—!'' Raichi tried to stray away from telling her. ''I can… make toast, scrambled eggs, and brew tea… I'm very– uh– limited with my capabilities.''

''...Is that so?''

''Why–why are you looking at me like it's hard to believe…?''

''Because…'' Yaori thoughtfully put her hand on her chin, thinking to herself briefly before continuing. ''You're gonna have to learn sometime, y'know? Consider this a lesson of sorts.''

''I mean…'' Raichi stammered anxiously. ''I did learn some stuff today thanks to you… so– um– at the very least, that should suffice for now, right?''

Yaori's face turned into that of sparking amusement, likely taking Raichi's words at face value. She looked down at her list again, soon reaching for the heavy bag of rice, before Raichi held her arm firmly.

''I'll get that, no need to thank me.'' He smirked, grabbing the rice bag and putting it in the basket, which now got increasingly heavy. ''You weren't— expecting me to let you grab— something as heavy as that, were you?''

Raichi was now speaking in between grunts, weighed down by the heavy basket he was holding. He was rather scrawny, so he wasn't the brightest lifter, but he tried to feign confidence, trying not to embarrass himself. A drop of sweat rolled down his face as Yaori looked at him with slight disappointment.

''Try not to impress me, would you Sato-kun?'' She said, reaching out to wipe the sweat off his face. ''Just so you know, I am going to get two carrier bags, because we're gonna clearly need them.''

''Y–Yamada-san…'' He cried out in silent ignominy, his face now red like the tomatoes in the basket. ''But–but I will be the one with the heavier bag, understand me–?''

She chuckled, appreciating Raichi's not-so-successful attempt at appearing all high and mighty. Though she had to admit, his, for lack of a better word; pathetic and red-faced act was rather cute. The thought of it had her blushing ever so slightly, too.

''S-Sure, Sato-kun. But hey– I guess you can say you mastered the art of basket-holding, right?''

''H–Hey, that's because I got to witness your grocery selection skills first hand– alright?''

It was safe to say that, Yaori was having a field day teasing Raichi, putting him on the defensive. Though, she felt like making a little gesture of kindness for helping her today. As they crossed off everything on the list together, she asked,

''So– if you have anything you'd like to add, Sato-kun, feel free.''

On Yaori's affirmation, Raichi hummed silently in interest, glancing at the various freezers with different types of ice cream cartons inside them. He looked at the wide array of ice cream colors, his mouth drooling briefly.

He hesitated slightly. "Um–I might have something to add…" He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Can we perhaps… get some ice cream?"

"Ice cream…?" Yaori blinked, but her amused grin quickly widened. "You remind me of me when I was little. I used to beg Nee-san to buy us ice cream, just like that."

"Hey, what does that mean?" Raichi mockingly dismissed her small teasing. "Are you calling me a little kid or something?"

"...I'll leave that up to you to decide, hehe. ''She hid her cackle with her hand, proceeding to grab some ice cream from the freezer, getting three of them, then flashing him a smile.''I'll be choosing, though.''

''That's… fine by me. Thanks, Yamada-san.''

With that, they continued down the isles subsequently leading to the register. As they were walking, however, Yaori stopped suddenly, glancing at Raichi thoughtfully.

''Um–Sato-kun… if you don't have any plans tonight…'' she wrung her hands together, her cheeks flushing. ''You're– um– welcome to stay for dinner. I'm sure Nee-san would be happy to have company today…''

Hu-Huh?!

He comically tumbled back, bewildered. He was not expecting a sudden invite to dinner of all things. Having hung out together previously in the mall and first time in the park, the last thing he expected was to come over for dinner. He once again scratched the back of his neck, spaced out momentarily. After he put his mind in order from the sudden confusion, he found himself looking at Yaori's cherubic, innocent smile, waiting for a response. His face flushed as he tried to put his thoughts into words.

"A–Are you sure? I wouldn't want to intrude, y'know…"

She waved her hand dismissively.

"No no no. You've already been of so much help today. And besides…" she smiled sincerely, looking up at him. "I think it would be… nice."

Raichi could feel his heart skipping a beat. He nodded, his cheeks still flushed, but he kept the tone casual.

"I–I do have to ask my mother for permission, first, but…" Raichi fiddled with his bag, avoiding eye contact. "I would love to."

Immediately, he fidgety brought out his phone from his pocket. Yaori stood there anticipatingly, holding her hands together in front of her.

As Raichi was scrolling through his contact list for his mother, he accidentally glanced at Yaori briefly, immediately turning away in realization. His fingers hesitated over the ''Mother'' button.

A-As exciting as this is… I completely forgot! Mother… doesn't know about Yamada-san!

He thought frantically, gulping audibly. But he had no choice but to simply dial her. His heart was racing at just the thought of having to explain who Yaori was to her.

Taking a deep breath, he put his finger down and the phone started vibrating as he put it up to his ear. The dial was ringing in his ear, literally. It rang longer than usual, and just as Raichi suspected his mother was too busy with cleaning to respond, the ringing was cut by Emiko's familiar, concerned voice.

「Raichi dear? You are a little late today, aren't you? Are you alright?」

Raichi grimaced, his hand shaking slightly.「Ah- Yeah, Mom. I am okay. I'm not too far, just in the nearby supermarket… with a friend.」

There was a brief moment of silence before her voice laced with curiosity was heard.「At… the supermarket? With a… friend?」

His eyes widened nervously. In an attempt to hide it, he cleared his throat.「Uh- that was why I called! I was… going to ask whether I could have dinner at their place. They– invited me over.」

Raichi had expected his mother to be suspicious of his request. After all, he was always a straightforward child who would tell every inch and detail of his daily events to his parents. So when it came about the time that he hid someone he met from her, she was bound to have questions.

「Have dinner with them, huh?」The doubt in her voice was evident as she repeated his words back to him.「 And who exactly is this new friend of yours?」

「Ah– Yamada-san… she is one of my new classmates. We- um… we both like books, I guess…」He stammered as he realized the vagueness in his remark.「Thats… pretty much it.」

「S-She?」Emiko's tone shifted slightly.「I–I see. Though I must say, Raichi dear… you hardly ever visit Hara-chan's, yet now you've been invited to dinner no less to this Yamada-san's?」

Raichi could feel his cheeks heating again. His mouth was left open, yet unable to respond. All that came out was a slight stutter. The lingering silence was awkward, at least for Raichi. He couldn't tell how her mother was right now beyond the screen. Strangely, he could hear a silent chuckle coming through the phone, and that was all he needed to picture the amusing smile on her face. After what felt like an eternity, she sighed.

「Alright, dear. You can go… but–」She continued playfully.「You're gonna be introducing her to me soon, and… try not to cause too much trouble for her and her family, m'kay?」

That last line was clearly loud enough, as when Raichi instinctively glanced toward her, she had turned a shade of pink. They both were suddenly flustered. She bashfully waved her hands dismissively in front of her.

''No, no, it's fine!'' She said before Emiko continued with a light chuckle.

「Okay, then… have fun, sweetie!」

The phone made a sound as the call came to a close, and the phone which still stood up on his ear showed the contact list. The pair of bookworms were left with their mouths open, frozen in time momentarily. Yaori's hands stood in the air as the two looked at each other in inept silence. He finally lowered his phone before he spoke up.

''She–um, says it's fine.''

"Y-Yeah. I–I made that out…"

"Then… shall we?"

"Yeah– yeah. Sure."

The two bookworms clumsily went to the cash register, paid for their groceries and ice cream, and left the supermarket.

----------------------------------------

The two carried the bags together as they walked back from the supermarket. They were having a light conversation with a pair of ice creams in hand. The hands with which they were carrying the bags were almost brushing, and the crinkles of the yellow leaves on the ground were like ambiance to their in-sync walking. Raichi kept his gaze ahead as Yaori threw a curious glance at him.

''So- Sato-kun…'' Yaori mischief tilted her head towards him,'' You didn't your mother about me at all? If you were trying to keep me secret, I'll have you know I had a lot of fun telling Nee-san about you.''

Raichi stiffened, averting his gaze down bashfully. He took another bite of his ice cream and let out a small sigh. He thought over his words carefully.

''If I were to be honest… I normally tell Mom about anything. I've always been taught to be truthful.'' Raichi said. Yaori blinked in surprise, earnestly listening to him. ''I'm always open with her. Maybe a little… too open. I thought that I should keep something to myself this time– to keep it rather personal.''

Yaori's expression softened, a subtle warmth rising in her cheeks. A gentle sense of understanding settled over her. She nodded.

''I–I think I get it. And I do know how much… you value your privacy. You do have the right to– to have something for yourself…'' She said, her tone growing a tad bit endearing. ''And– I think I like that. Y'know– what you said about us.''

Raichi's lips curved into a soft, appreciative smile. ''I'm… happy that it is mutual, Yamada-san.''

''That– is what makes it special, right?''

''Yeah.''

As the conversation settled down into comfortable silence, Yaori's positivity slowly spiraled into curiosity in her head, as what she said made her chew over Raichi's experiences. She was questioning his past as she snuck an uneasy glance at him. He must have gone through plenty of things to have such disdain for gossip, a desperate need for seclusion, she thought. She knew their relationship was something rare, something to preserve as unique and special. It was evident that whatever lay past that stoic mask was the reason he put on the mask to begin with. And recently, she had this irresistible urge to protect it.

''Um– excuse me!'' A bashful voice entered their line of sight, as another girl followed behind it. ''Hi–I just wanted to say…''

''Hmm?'' Raichi raised an eyebrow. ''Hello?''

The two girls turned to face them. They looked around their age, with the other acting rather mischievous, immediately catching Yaori's attention. The girl who had shown herself timidly kept fluttering her gaze back and forth to Raichi, then to her friend, the timourousness appearing rather faux at that singular instance. Yaori had caught on, now putting on a brave, cold front.

Her friend urged her to continue, fisting her on the shoulder lightly.

''Y-You looked really cool, so… I–I was wondering if– if you'd like to go on a date with me sometime!''

As her friend struggled to hold back her cackle, Raichi took a step back, baffled. The awkward stillness lingered, but Yaori… was not having it. Why would anybody randomly confess to a random boy they see on the street?

Her left eye was rapidly blinking, her expression was unreadable, and she had put on a scowl. She looked at them straight in the eye, yet they hadn't made eye contact. Raichi raised his finger, muttering,

''Th-thanks, but I don't think that'd be right.'' He straightened himself up, smiling politely. ''It'd be better for the two of us to not date somebody we don't know.''

''O-Okay…''

Before there was even something resembling a conversation in the air, the two girls were taking their leave. The other was still stifling a smirk. And the girl who had suddenly just confessed put her arms together, pouting.

Raichi and Yaori had already turned around, but Yaori intended to stay further. Her steps were slow, awaiting.

W-What is Yamada-san doing?

Her eyes never left the two girls, and her head was tilted back towards them. She stared at them as they continued walking a short distance further.

They stopped at the corner, turning back to look at the two bookworms. Yaori instantly pretended to be gazing ahead. And that was when the two girls suddenly burst out laughing.

In an instant, Yaori's face went blank, her eyes widening as if a sudden, rigid volt of electricity shot through her. Their voices echoed through her mind.

She put her arm out toward Raichi who was still beside her. Her hand was in front of his chest, stopping him in his tracks. And only one thing came out of her mouth. An aloof, stony,

''Halt.''

Raichi looked fixedly at Yaori's sudden change of demeanor and put the two together. She was dead set on hearing out the two girls' motives.

He didn't turn his head like Yaori, but he was also attentively listening. The girls likely thought they were out of earshot, as they didn't hold back on their laughter, and Raichi could catch the faintest of their conversation.

''What kind of stupid dare was that, you dumbass?'' the confesser scoffed, their chat bouncing off the empty street walls. ''I thought we agreed on the dares not being so ridiculous!''

The laughter continued back and forth until the other responded, ''What? Hypothetically, if he accepted… what were you gonna do? Break his heart and tell him no? He did actually look kinda cool~!''

''Hey– cut that out!''

The chat gradually fizzled away in his mind as Raichi let out a small sigh that sounded almost relieved. He mentally brushed off the exchange, knowing there wasn't much left for him to hear.

However, beside him, Yaori hadn't looked away. Her eyes were narrowed as the only thing Raichi could make out was more sounds of elation, her expression now grown slightly tense.

Yaori put the arm he had thrown his way down, now holding onto his arm firmly. Raichi observed, puzzled as Yaori tightened her grip, trying to convey something. She finally turned her head back his way, as she looked up at him with an expression he couldn't quite make out.

''S-Sato-kun… are– are you okay…?'' She asked softly, as if she was handling some sort of fragile piece of decoration.

It was like she had searched for his face, which held a strong sense of concern.

He shrugged, smiling reassuringly. ''I-I think I'm fine. It's not like it bothers me, Yamada-san…''

He tried to act like he was unharmed, which he probably was. But even he could tell his voice held some roughness to it.

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''I'm… used to stuff like that. People do… mess around all the time.''

Rendered rather unable to move by Yaori's grip, all he could do was look at her. His smile was bittersweet more than anything.

Yaori still hadn't uttered much about how she felt. Her expression softened as well as her grip. She couldn't help but land her eyes back on the spot the girls had been, now absent.

Y-Yamada-san…?

Her gaze, now fixated on the ground, was saddened by what had just gone down. Raichi still couldn't pinpoint her reasons for being so bothered by this foolish dare. For all he knew, it was some dumb teenagers from seemingly another school messing around doing even dumber things to pass the time, and he didn't feel all that offended by it.

Her burrows furrowed as she asserted,

''Thats… not okay.''

Raichi's eyes widened, as Yaori was now gritting her teeth.

''How–how could people be so… cruel–'' Her voice was gradually getting shaky. ''You can't just… play with something as fragile as human feelings—!''

Her words faltered every time she paused, resonating with Raichi. He blinked, caught off guard by the tremor in her voice.

''Just– that doesn't feel fair…''

Tears fell down her cheek as she looked up at him again, her eyes bubbling. And that– was when Raichi let out a small gasp, now hit with the realization.

She–shes… more upset than I am–! Heck, shes… mad for my sake—?

The thought struck him as Yaori wiped away the tears that she had let out. She looked almost embarrassed for tearing up at such a thing. She was struggling to contain her emotions, but– he couldn't help but appreciate her concern for him.

''Yamada-san… I-I understand– but…''

Yaori laughed shakily, wiping her cheek again. She looked away.

''S-Sorry… I didn't… mean to get like this.''

She took a deep, steady breath. Her shoulders rose, then fell back down. Her face was still unrecognizable.

''But– I just–!'' Her voice suddenly broke down in distress, cracking. ''I don't like it when– when people treat things like this so lightly— it makes me… angry.''

She finally turned back toward him, taking a step closer, now their faces way closer than before. Raichi looked down at her by surprise, eyes widened.

Her expression held something akin to that of empathy, empathy so sincere that it broke her, too. She let go of her hand, now holding both of them up her chest.

''S-Sato-kun… you've been… licking your wounds for so long that– I can't just let you ignore stuff like this anymore—!'' She stopped wiping her tears as they flowed freely. Unable to bear looking at him any longer, she shifted her gaze downward. ''I-I don't ever want to see you go through such things again… as I said earlier today– it hurts me to see you hurt, too–!''

Raichi didn't cut her off, he wanted to fully hear her out before showing his appreciation. But that had to wait, because Yaori still had a lot she had to get off her chest. She started sobbing.

''Nobody– nobody deserves to go through what you did– and I… can't imagine how it must've felt…'' She looked at the hands she had been holding together, tightening her grip. ''I was… thinking about you. Thinking about just what made you so– so broken… yet so resilient at the same time.''

Raichi nodded, his mouth left agape.

''I just… can't comprehend how– how earlier today at the school council room… was the first time you couldn't hold it in anymore.'' She put her hands on his shoulder, reaffirming. ''I want you to know– Sato-kun– that it is okay. It is okay… to feel hurt.''

Raichi felt his chest tighten, his heart racing, his thoughts spiraling. He didn't know how to respond to the warmth emanating from her words. They spread through him in a way he hadn't expected. He was aware of her concern for his well-being, he knew she cared, and yet– he hadn't known how much until now. But seeing her so deeply moved– and for his sake– left him speechless.

She lowered her hands before he reached out on his own, in a sense of gratitude and appreciation, resting his on her shoulder.

''I really– really mean it when I say– Yamada-san…'' His smile held nothing but cherish, his voice tender. ''I am okay. I am okay… because you're here. The one person who… ever cared this much about me. And for that… I must thank you.''

Yaori's gaze flickered up, her face tilting into a fierce sob of happiness, filled with resolve. She held her hands up on her face, incapable of holding back her relief any longer. Their unspoken understanding hung in the air as Raichi patiently waited for Yaori to wail her heart out. Other than the silence, the only thing present was Yaori's cry, now comforted knowing Raichi was indeed okay, and all thanks to her.

Her tension softened back into a dainty, hesitant smile. She wiped away her last tears, now less hurriedly.

''Then… shall we go home?''

''Of course. C'mon.''

They left that specific part of the street, where they had witnessed what was supposed to be a witty, funny prank now turned into a moment of understanding between them.

----------------------------------------

As they happily made their way through the street, walking in silence, Raichi's words still lingered. And his hand– still remained on her shoulder.

He hadn't noticed it at first glance, so he double-checked to see. His face warmed up, suddenly aware that it had remained there ever since they had begun walking. He laughed awkwardly, swallowing.

''Um– when am I… supposed to let go?''

Raichi accidentally let his thoughts slip, as he hadn't really meant to ask out loud.

Her eyes lifted to meet his, her cheeks tinged with a pink tint as she mulled over what to say.

''Wh-Whenever you feel like it– Sato-kun.''

She said, her voice barely above a whisper. She locked her gaze with him, the vulnerability in it was almost disarming. Her adorable face was quickly too much to look at, and he could feel his heart skip a beat. It took a moment for him to process her words. He opened his mouth in an attempt to speak, and once again nothing came out.

Once he gathered himself, he felt like the hand he had meant to comfort her… now comforted him, too. It was strange, knowing that it was likely because he did find the intimacy comforting. And now, Yaori's remark pretty much confirmed she didn't see much wrong with it, either.

''G-Good…'' he stammered, trying to calm his nervous shaking. ''Because… I hope you don't mind if I… keep it that way for a little while.''

His manner of speaking was soft, but it was almost like he muttered it to himself. As if Raichi meant to imply what he said rather than expressing it outright.

Her previously timid expression was now soothed, and her gaze was unwavering as she met his. She didn't let go until a tender smile pulled at her lips.

Despite not saying anything, actions spoke louder than words. And after she pulled away from his gaze, he could spot Yaori's tinted ears. He put on a smile like no other, a smile that conveyed way more than just appreciation and admiration. It was a symbol of their understanding that was now impossible to put into words.

''Hey– Sato-kun?''

''Yeah, what is it Yamada-san?''

''Our icecreams… they melted, didn't they…?''

''No– wait… I could've sworn they were in our hands a minute ago…'' He glanced back at the street which they weren't too far from yet, seeing the pair of ice creams on the ground.

Oh.

----------------------------------------

The sun had begun setting, turning into a muted shade of orange as the two turned to a corner, approaching the Yamada household. He took a glance around the small street before entering the gate as Yaori led the way, opening the door for him.

So… this– is where Yamada-san lives…

His gaze wandered around the modest and spacious house before him. The entrance was shaded by a small awning, and a nicely put-together bunch of outdoor slippers stood beside the door. It gave off a vibe that felt tidy, warm, and inviting.

Raichi felt his nerves kicking in, his expectations suddenly absent any idea. The realization had settled in; he was about to enter Yaori's house, and he'd better be on his best behavior and be as respectful as possible. As they went through the stone pathway, he took in the dimensions of the house that lay before him, getting curious.

''So– this is your place, Yamada-san…'' He began, his eyes landing on the multiple pairs of slippers. ''It's definitely… bigger than what I imagined. Correct me if I'm wrong, but… didn't you say you lived with just Ayaka-san?''

Yaori smiled faintly, but the flicker of her expression was indistinct to him.

''You'd be correct, Sato-kun…'' she hung onto the wall. However, she seemed to deliberately avoid looking at him then and there. ''The two of us do indeed live here by ourselves, but– it is a house of four.''

''Oh–'' Raichi blinked, her unusual phrasing surprising him. ''Um– sorry, I… didn't pry or anything just now, did I?''

''N-No need to apologize, Sato-kun.'' She turned back toward him, shaking her head briefly, urging him as she gestured towards the door. Her tone sounded genuinely reassuring, and it didn't seem like she was hiding anything. She returned to her faint smile. ''Even if it sometimes feels too big for the two of us, it is still very much ours and Nee-san works very hard to keep it running. Go ahead, enter inside.''

Raichi nodded, intending not to say anything further on the matter. He could sense that it was all she had to say, and he could feel an underlying guilt about bringing up something rather personal.

Yaori shifted the bag in her hand, putting it on the ground slowly to push the door open.

After opening the door, she immediately grabbed the bag in Raichi's hand back from him. Raichi hadn't intended on giving it just yet, and he hadn't expected her to reach out so suddenly either. So he just stood there, caught off momentarily.

He could already smell the fresh scent of brewed tea hitting his nostrils as he stepped into the genkan. Raichi and his family loved tea, and that was also reminiscent of his humble abode, too.

Yaori called out as she stepped inside, putting the two bags down.

''Nee-san! Sorry for being late, but I brought Sato-kun with me for dinner today!''

The soft hum of activity, the tinkering of plates, and kitchen utilities suddenly came to a halt. And after a second or two, Ayaka's positive voice broke through from the distance, muffled but unmistakably taken aback.

''Sato-kun? Did– did you just say Sato-kun?''

''Uh-''

Raichi froze for a moment, unsure of what might hit him at a moment's notice. Footsteps could be heard as Ayaka poked her head from the living room's door, waving before coming out fully. Her eyes darted between the two, her curious expression taking the form of playful enthusiasm.

Raichi offered a polite nod, putting on a rather formal tone. ''Uh– thanks for having me.''

Ayaka waved her hand dismissively, smiling friendly, wagging her finger. ''Now now, no need to be so formal with me, Sato-kun. We're already familiar now, aren't we?''

''T-True, but it has been a while since I visited any friend of mine, and I was… trying to keep up my manners…'''

Raichi smiled anxiously as he scratched the back of his neck.

''Hey, any friend of Yaori-chan's welcome here, so do make yourself at home, would you?''

''Um- okay.''

''...Nee-san.'' Yaori shot her a blatant glare, her cheeks reddening. ''Try not to mess around too much… it's not like I invited the entire class over.''

Ayaka's very characteristic grin quickly reared its ugly head. It was a signal, a sign that she was about to pull off a maneuver that even Raichi had gotten familiar with in just a singular day he had spent with her– her signature sister teasing.

''Of course, you'd never do something like that, knowing you.'' She briefly glanced at Raichi, before turning back to her beloved sister. ''But– you and I both know it's not every day you bring someone over, right Yaori-chan?''

''Wh-What?''

Her lips twisted into a tense, wavering line, and her cheeks and ears simultaneously turned bright red almost immediately. As if she was on the verge of breaking.

''N–Nee-san– what are you talking about?!''

Instead of responding, Ayaka clapped her hands together in a rush of excitement, letting go of her playful grin.

''Well— with that, I'll be taking these ingredients and stepping into the kitchen. And– Yaori-chan, I insist that you go ahead and spend time with Sato-kun as I work at it. I do not want you to help me this time.''

Yaori still looked at her bashfully, unable to respond in her current state. It seemed like Ayaka had decided for her anyway. Raichi gulped audibly.

I'm– uh… glad to not be the target of teasing today… she reminds me a lot of Hiroshi-kun.

Ayaka, without saying another word, took the bags and went into the living room where she had come out from.

Once she left, Raichi slowly glanced toward Yaori, who was still heavily flustered. She took notice of his gaze, their eyes meeting briefly before she rapidly shook her head, calming herself down through shaking.

The issue that arose from this hangout was that as the host, Yaori had to take the lead. Normally, Raichi would be the one to push themselves into going forward after a moment like this, as they had many times before.

''Um– then I guess we should join her in the living room–''

She muttered until all of a sudden, Ayaka leaned her head out the door, smiling from ear to ear, raising her finger again in objection.

''Ah ah ah~! I don't want the two of you to be holding yourselves back as I mess around in the kitchen. The living room is merged, and the two of you wouldn't be able to get along to the fullest of your abilities, so…''

''A-Ayaka-san…?''

''Yaori-chan! Go to your room this instant, and don't make me come there and do it myself, got it? I'll call the two of you once dinner is ready.''

''Wait– what?!'' Yaori exclaimed, but it was too late.

''Buh bye now!''

She slid the door closed before the two could even say anything, and they were left in their own silence.

Umm… what?

They didn't even look at each other, they just stared off into the distant corridor, pondering over what to do from here on out. Of course, with Ayaka's now strict rule, they were simply supposed to use Yaori's room as their hangout space. Yaori was already going to use the room to change into something more casual, but now, she also had to bring him over afterward her short visit. They didn't have much of a choice, but any level-headed person would be stuck there, questioning what just happened, and why it did. Within only a few steps away from the genkan, the two stood there, frozen in an awkward hush. The confusing type of silence that is neither embarrassing nor cold. More like… dumbfounded.

In an attempt to break the stillness, Raichi shifted slightly to face her, playing around with the strap.

''Well…'' He said, his voice hushed. ''Wh-What are we gonna do, Yamada-san?''

Yaori anxiously shook her head rapidly, then blinking, as if snapping back to reality.

''We don't… have much of a choice, so…'' She said, glancing at the end of the hallway and sighing softly. ''When she's like this, Nee-san can be quite persistent.''

''I've– uh… noticed that pattern by now,'' He muttered, scratching the back of his head. Despite feigning his casual act, he could sense a warmth on his cheeks.

Yaori gestured towards the brightly lit corridor. There were three rooms, one on the right side of the wall, and the other two at the end, crossing ways, facing each other.

With her gesture, Raichi faced the corridor, examined it, and tried to guess which one was her room. His guess was as good as anybody else's. That was until Yaori cut off his thoughts.

''In that case… let us go to my room then. It's not much, but…'' Yaori glanced toward him. ''It is more comfortable than standing out here.''

Raichi nodded, in a semi-serious tone, which was almost about to break down, ''T-Then, lead the way… Yamada-san.''

With Raichi's approval, Yaori slowly made her way down the hall, and Raichi quietly followed after her lead. The footsteps echoed in the empty hall, as his mind was in a daze. It was hard to put the silence between them into words. Even if they had reached the sliding door in mere seconds, it felt slightly longer than that.

Yaori hesitated for a moment, her hand awkwardly lingering on the wooden frame. She smiled sheepishly as she turned back towards him.

''Um– Sato-kun… I'm just going to– to go in and change real quick…'' She said as she moved her gaze to Raichi's fidgeting hand momentarily, then back at him. ''Would you… mind waiting here for a second? I'll let you in as soon as I'm done.''

''Oh– Sure… go ahead, take your time…'' Raichi replied quickly, taking a step back.

Yaori slid the door open just enough to get inside. She gently closed it behind her as the door made a slight shhhk sound. Raichi… was left standing alone in the narrow hallway. He stood still as his gaze lingered on the door. Even if on the outside, he was simply staring—his thoughts were an absolute, chaotic swirl.

My–My heart is beating so fast… and why? I've seen Yamada-san in casual clothing before… wait– since when was this about her changing?He contradicted himself with every thought, retconning his understanding of the situation. He recalled the moment in the mall, where she had put on an oversized hoodie to try out, and bought it immediately after his lackluster compliment, or so he thought. And, she'd likely be changing into something more casual and comfortable. The thought had him flustered. His active mind refused to stay grounded.

Wh-What if it's something flowy… or loose?

His mind could draw in between the blanks, and his hyperactive imagination almost ran wild, painting a picture of her in a light camisole, slipping over her shoulders. The fabric clinging just enough—

Until he shook his head violently, his cheeks giving way to an intense blush.

Stop–Stop it! What am I even thinking?! Can't I have something else to think about?!

He muttered under his breath. And his imagination didn't stop there, now on overdrive. He could make out sounds of flowing fabric from behind the door, adding more fuel to the fire.

It-It could even be… something shorter…

Another image of Yaori in a different outfit showed itself in his head. Yaori wearing a blue, pair of soft lounge shorts, the kind that barely reached the end of her thighs—

He groaned inwardly, suppressing his thought which made him seethe. Gripping the strap of his bag tighter, he attempted to channel it out.

C-Calm down already, dangit!

No matter how much he tried, he couldn't keep the thoughts at bay, and they lingered. It got even worse when his mind amiably conjured up another image, this time, in the hoodie team she had bought when she was with him. The thoughts left him strangely mortified, and… entranced. He immediately buried his face in his hands, letting out a groan, muffled.

How disappointing to see myself like this, aren't I just hopeless…?

Until, he heard the light sounds of footsteps inside the room, which finally snapped him out. His heart lept momentarily, fearful that his muttering might have been overheard. He could've sworn he heard a chuckle, too.

Thats… a habit of mine. I hope my thoughts weren't something I said out loud…

Luckily for him, the swish sounds of cloth were still coming through recognizably, so she must still be changing. He used this as an opportunity to calm himself down.

When the door finally opened again as it slid from one side to another, he had barely managed to compose himself in time.

She was dressed in an outfit that paired with an oversized casual knit sweater with intricate patterns on it, and loose lounge pants. Her hair was visibly rather tousled, and her cheeks had a slight blush to it. Although, there was no way she was as flustered as he was just now, right?

''Sorry to keep you waiting…'' She said as she lowered her head out from the door, her hand still gripping the wall. ''Come on in.''

Raichi nodded at speeds never seen before, blatantly nervous at this point, to which Yaori chuckled softly as they entered inside.

----------------------------------------

When Raichi took a step inside the room, his gaze immediately wandered across the space, a small yet comfortable, personal room.

He immediately spotted the work desk which lay in the corner, along with her personal books beside it, easy to access. It had a rather small-looking stool to match with.

Across it was a large bookshelf, filled to the brim with all kinds of books. Not just local, but books that were in English, and many novels to boot. And her taste in manga was pronounced by the books that were on there.

A convenient and cute music box was on top of everything else, which caught his curiosity. On the other side of the room right next to the entrance, was her cozy bed, and across it was her wardrobe, and a coat hanger. Many small details stood out inside the room- like the fragrant smell of lavender that was likely coming off from the diffuser in the corner of the room. Despite looking simple, it told a lot about Yaori, because this— was her small, safe world.

As seen by her lack of social sphere, this must have been where she was most comfortable other than when around Ayaka. It was rather narrow, but it was very homey. Safe to say, Raichi was a little stunned. His room was way less visually appealing than whatever Yaori had going on.

Um… Where should I sit, though?

His eyes immediately landed on the soft bed, likely neatly made. But he promptly ruled it off as an option, unable to imagine himself sitting there with his heart at ease. Yaori, who was still standing by the door, tilted her head towards him in a curious and merry expression.

''You can make yourself comfortable, Sato-kun.'' She said, gently closing the door shut, the door that Raichi hadn't even realized was still open. ''Oh… I get it now.''

Before Raichi could properly assess what she just meant, all he could do was blink at her, as an amused grin slowly showed itself on her face. However, her rosy cheeks remained as is. She slowly walked towards the desk, sitting on the small stool she often uses to study. It was as if she was trying to demonstrate something to him.

She sat there, looking at him, crawled up like a turtle. Sitting in an awkward position with her hands on her knees,

''This would be kind of uncomfortable, don't you think?''

As she crossed her arms, Raichi's face fell as hard as an anvil, his disappointment immeasurable, like someone who had just seen the plot of their beloved book unveiling right before their eyes. And in this case, it would be pretty accurate. Just when he thought he had found a safe option, Yaori herself ruled it out. Yaori chuckled lightly.

''You didn't seriously consider sitting here, did you Sato-kun?''

''I–I may have been about to–?''

He muttered under his dismay, raising his hand trying to object. His eyes darted around the entire room at once in search of a spot he didn't deem to be embarrassing. Raichi locked onto the carpet in front of the bed, which he still hadn't caught on. He tried to point at the spot and opened his mouth to speak, but Yaori had seen it coming. She put her finger out, shaking her head.

''Don't even think about sitting there, you silly.'' She said, her expression looking slightly vexed as she was pouting. ''It should be obvious by now…''

With no hesitation, she took it upon herself to comfortably hop on her bed, hanging her back against the wall. Her schoolbag was right next to her, and she brought out the book she had been willing to read with him in the park.

''Th-The bed?!'' Raichi stammered, his voice cracking. His face flushed instantly, his gaze alternating from the spot next to her and Yaori herself. ''I-Is that okay, though?''

''O-Of course it is.'' She said, her tone casual. Although vague, there was a flicker of nerves and amusement. ''I-Its obviously no big deal if I'm asking for it, right?''

''I–I mean–!'' He fumbled around all awkwardly, before hesitantly nodding.

He hesitantly perched… at the tip of the bed, barely holding on. It was clear the bed couldn't hold his weight in such a position. And yet, he sat there, his hands grasping for an opportunity to stand. His knees were pressed together, and he was avoiding directly looking at her. It was as if he was standing on the edge of a cliff even though he didn't need to. He gripped his knees, knowing well that it was the only way to stand properly. His posture made things all the more clear.

The only thing Yaori could see from her side of the bed was Raichi's crimson-red ears, and that was enough of an indicator. She tilted her head, observing him with an odd surprise on her face, blinking.

Her confusion slowly made way for an exasperated pout.

Are we just gonna sit here like this…? W-Wait!When suddenly, a sly idea sparked in her head, and she put her hands together in a rush of mirth. Her eyes drifted to the stark gap between them, one he was certain to maintain. But she was determined to close it in her own way.

She smiled mischievously, her lips twitching, holding back her laugh.

Shifting slightly, she got in a more comfortable position, and the bed creaked along as she did. And without any warning, Yaori stretched her legs out across the bed, and with one foot, clad in a white sock, extended it toward Raichi's back. She gently nudged him with her toes.

His body jolted like that of a cat, and although he didn't move, he could feel his body suddenly tense up from the unexpected touch. He froze, and his eyes widened as he processed what just happened.

Raichi slowly and shakily turned back toward her, his expression the definition of bewildered.

''Y–Yamada-san… what–what was that…?''

His gaze flickered back and forth at the foot that Yaori still hadn't withdrawn, and back at her playful smile, still flustered out of his mind.

She grinned back at him, so innocent yet so impish at the same time.

''Nothing. But… if you want to sit there, you might as well sit properly, Sato-kun.'' She finally put her foot down, patting the spot next to her, nodding. ''C'mon. We both know it's more comfortable up here.''

''Um–''

Raichi stared at the spot Yaori gestured to, zoned out momentarily. His brain had just been overloaded, and he was left clueless. He let out a very resigned sigh, hesitantly lowering himself backward to the end of the bed where Yaori indicated. He treated this moment as if he was moving into enemy territory, leaving a noticeable space between them.

''Th-There…''

''See? Not so bad now, is it?''

''...I guess not.''He murmured, his voice still rather tentative. He briefly glanced at her, then immediately turned the other way, his cheeks still burning. ''S-Stop teasing me any further, please… I get enough of it as is from Hiroshi…''

Yaori felt satisfied with his compliance, almost getting a little sadistic sense of enjoyment from painting him red. She opened the book next to her, and slightly leaned toward him, closing the gap and bringing her just close enough that Raichi could feel the faint warmth emanating from her presence. He could momentarily feel his heart on the edge of leaping out of his chest.

''O-Okay, okay… you can take it easy now, Sato-kun.'' She said lightly, pretending to skim through the pages. ''I-I don't bite.''

I-If it was only that simple– Yamada-san!

----------------------------------------

After some time, the two had read the book Yaori was holding. In that short period, the quiet sound of the diffuser and the faint tinkering coming through the walls were the only things that hit their ears. They had gotten used to each other's reading speed and gradually progressed in the book. Raichi's tension was only now put to ease as the two comfortably read together. His thoughts were still a little bit tangled, and he couldn't fully concentrate, but he was far past the point of breaking like he had earlier. As Yaori suddenly put the book a little bit down, she gazed up at him, breaking the silence with her soft yet deliberate voice.

''S–Sato-kun…''

''Hm?' He said, slightly anxious.

But his nervousness grew even more as he caught a glimpse of color rising within her cheeks. She looked like she had something to say. Her hesitation held her back a little, her fingers brushing against the book in her hands.

''You still haven't… said anything about my outfit yet…''

Raichi cemented himself on the bed, her remark sending a volt of electricity through him.

Her… outfit?

His mind stuttered, as his gears were grinding, the implications hitting him all at once.

Just a moment ago, he had been waiting there restlessly, unable to get the images of Yaori in different types of clothing off his mind. His thoughts had run wild, chaotic. He had struggled to keep them suppressed earlier, and now… she was seemingly asking him for his opinion on her sense of fashion.

''I–I…'' his throat tightened, his words unable to form coherent sentences. ''I- I didn't… think I needed to?''

Yaori tilted her head, equally curious and teasing. ''...Why not?''

He could feel his heart thumping loudly in his chest, swallowing hard. Fumbling for his words, he screamed in his mind,

I've already been losing my mind over it, Yamada-san! W-Why not?! I don't know!

''Um–! Because… I- thought it was apparent already…?'' He said as if asking himself while at it.

''A-Apparent…?'' She repeated, putting a finger on her chin, trying to make herself understand, too. Her cheeks suddenly changed hue. ''W-What do you… mean by that?''

''Y-Yeah! Apparent!'' He stammered, tumbling over the edge of his own words. He scratched the back of his neck. ''I mean… you've always– looked… comfortable– not in a bad way or anything—! But…''

He put his hands in front of him, trying to nudge himself into putting his thoughts into a coherent, proper sentence, however successful it may be.

''I-It looks… really good on you— it– it suits you perfectly!''

Yaori blinked, her face turned a fiery red. Her eyes darted away, then snapped back at him. Her shimmering eyes were now open wide in disbelief. Yaori's lips parted slightly as if to retort, but they could only tremble. Her posture eventually betrayed her as she jumped, making a squeak sound like a cowering animal, her brows tilted upward. She jumped for the book beside her, covering half her face with it.

''You–You dummy!''

''Wh-What?''

''Sato-kun, you're such a dummy!'' She said with a muffled voice behind her book, but her exasperation came through loud and clear. Her blush now covered her entire face. ''D-Do you have any idea what you're saying, Sato-kun?''

''I-I didn't mean to say anything weird?!'' Raichi waved his hands in panic, questioning whether he might've made her angry. ''But– But I meant it– that's all!''

After a few seconds of momentary silence, she peeked at him over the top of the book, narrowing her eyes at him. Her lips twitched upward as she uttered,

''S-Sato-kun… your– your cluelessness when it comes to stuff like this gets me insanely… flustered!'' She held the book fully out on her face, covering it in its entirety. ''You say it like it's nothing!''

''B-But–!'' Raichi froze in his tracks, her words hitting him in a way he hadn't expected. ''It-It does mean something! Otherwise, I wouldn't have said it– Ow!''

Yaori shoved the book in his face, tumbling him backward onto the bed, the force leaving a red mark on his face as he grabbed it. Yaori, now with her defense absent, couldn't bear looking at him. She was as red as she could get. Crossing her arms together, she pouted.

''Y–You dummy… you're– so clueless that– that–!'' Her words trailed off, unable to finish what she just started. Instead, she chuckled lightly to herself.

Raichi, rubbing the spot Yaori hit him, raised his head back up.

''W-What was that for…?''

''It's… It's nothing…'' She muttered, but under all that frustration was… carrying a hint of affection. ''I… guess that's just who you are, Sato-kun.''

Raichi stared at her for a few seconds, dumbfounded. ''I-I don't get it?''

Although still avoiding his gaze, she shook her head, laughing lightly again. ''You're just a dummy, Sato-kun. E-End of conversation–!''

He nodded panickily, ending it on a bizarre note. ''Um– Okay!''

The silence returned, and Yaori stood that way for a while, still turned the opposite direction to Raichi. Despite her effort to avoid eye contact, he kept looking at her cluelessly. Smiling innocently. The comforting silence was different from their usual routine, it felt… confusing, yet warm as it always had been.

Wh-Who is the dummy in this context right now, Yamada-san?!

Oh– Sato-kun… don't ever change this part of you, would you?

----------------------------------------

Raichi had been fidgeting with his pants, anxiously waiting for Yaori to break the silence. Amid his patience, however, his mind slipped elsewhere. A random memory from his past flashed in his head again. The day he had turned silent against the looks he used to receive, and the comments he had never heard—the onlooking eyes of the person that was seated next to him all those years ago.

He hadn't even realized the shift in the mood— rather the shift in his visible mood. Yaori was ever so perceptive.

''Sato-kun…'' She glanced at him with concern with the book resting on her lap. ''You've… been awfully quiet for a while, is there something on your mind?''

''Um—'' Raichi was startled, caught off guard despite awaiting for her words to start another conversation. ''Ah– no, it's nothing really…''

''But… I was a little worried… you have that same look you have.''

''The… same look I have?''

He furrowed in confusion. Maybe he was a little too open, harking back on things so brazenly would be very easy for Yaori to sense. After all, they were the ones to say that a bookworm reads a bookworm best.

''That look you have… before you indulge me in something that you may regret having said.''

Wow… I hadn't realized how straightforward I had been. But… it is for the best.

He caught her curious expression, deciding to give in. He had confided in her many times over these past days already, and she had attentively listened to him and did her best to comfort him every time, so of course, Raichi had a lot of trust in her. Her words had already nudged him to speak, either way. He exhaled, releasing his grip on his pants as he searched for the right words.

''I just… recalled a little something from before. Back when I was… still figuring out how to fit into school.''

Yaori didn't seem to rush him. Her determined and observant smile coaxed him to continue.

''There was this… girl in one of my old classes.'' He said, keeping his face down. ''With the seating arrangement set up by our teacher, she ended up seated next to me.''

''And… what about her got you feeling like this?''

''I thought that maybe I could… even make a friend. But…''

''But?''

Yaori moved in closer, maybe even too close for comfort, but Raichi didn't mind.

''She had this habit…'' Raichi murmured with a heavier tone. ''Whenever I said or did something that she could likely label as… odd, weird, or maybe even outright stupid… she'd give me this sidelong glance, and her expression wasn't all that friendly. It was a little intimidating.''

As Yaori was listening, her brows knitted together, and she instinctively grabbed the book again.

''I quickly caught on to what was happening…'' He continued. ''And when I did… I put a lid on it. Stopped entirely. Stopped doing anything that might get her to look at me the same way again. In the end, we were rather cold with each other.''

''Wh-What did you do afterward?''

''I… thought it was just easier to shrink back. And thus… I had closed myself off.''

Yaori felt her chest tightening, how vulnerable his remark was. She could feel the bitterness in his voice hanging in the air. It wasn't like last time when he had openly swelled up with tears, but it was something that left scars that refused to go away for a while and eventually sowed the seeds of what he'd turn into.

''That must've been so… lonely,'' She said softly, her voice on the brink of trembling. ''you must've felt like you couldn't truly be yourself…''

''I—I did,'' Raichi admitted, chuckling humourlessly, followed up by a self-deprecating smile. ''but… at the time, I–I thought that maybe I had deserved it… maybe if I just weren't so– so weird, no one would look at me that way. I didn't want to risk it, therefore, I thought being invisible would be more… tolerable than being judged.''

The sudden confession settled between them, and Yaori once again could feel her heartache when seeing Raichi in such a state. She set her book aside, fixating her unwavering gaze.

''S–Sato-kun.'' She said firmly, yet kind. ''Just so you know… you're not invisible nor weird to me.''

''...I–I appreciate that, Yamada-san.''

''Oh, I'm not done yet, Sato-kun. If anyone treats you like that again, then I'll just have to step in, and they'll have to go through me!''

She teased, trying to ease the tension. Her lips quirked into a teasing and confident smile. She could feel a sense of relief when,

Raichi laughed softly, more genuinely this time. ''Y–You might be scarier than you let on, Yamada-san…''

''Hmph! Maybe I am…'' She quipped, but… her smile softened. She hesitated, but eventually, ''Um– but… I do want to tell you something too, Sato-kun… would you mind?''

Raichi straightened himself again, putting on a more, serious, attentive expression, readying himself to listen to her as much as he could.

''G-Go ahead, Yamada-san… I'm all ears.''

I—I can't believe it… finally, I'm the one hearing her out. I want her to trust me the same way I do. I'm going to listen to this like it's the last thing I'll hear on planet Earth.

Raichi took this moment very seriously. He wanted to pay Yaori back for her kindness. He knew he was indebted to her after the whirlwind they stormed through in a matter of days. If it wasn't for her presence, he likely would have broken down.

He didn't know why, but this girl he had known for only a few days seemed like a preferable person to confide in than his two closest friends. Why was that? What made her so different? All he had done for her up to this point was lending a book, he thought. Maybe he was too naive to understand, but it was still just a book. It was about time he gave her that trust ten times back.

However, wasn't that also her exact wording? What had he done that Yaori deemed to be so trustworthy? But– this was no time to act so meekly.

Yaori took a deep breath, lowering her gaze down to the book as she spoke.

''A-After my parents moved away… the house was left to just Nee-san and me. And we… had to figure out how to take care of ourselves, so…''

She traced over the title of the book on her hand, the sound of the paperback covering giving her a moment to pause.

''Nee-san… she is— beyond words, she is amazing. I thought I could always count on her no matter what, but…'' She glanced toward him, then back down on the book. ''Sometimes, I realized that… all the time she spent taking care of me, she could've spent working on her exams— I felt like… I could've done more. Wondering whether it was enough… wondering whether I could be as… dependable.''

''...'' Raichi thoughtfully looked into the wall in front of him. Now with an even further understanding of Yaori. He could more or less connect what she had to say further. ''You… you think you could be more… dependable?''

''I–I do!'' She said, looking up at him with eyes shining with vulnerability. He could almost see the tears swelling up on her face. ''Sometimes— I still feel that way! As if… no matter what I do, could do, or did… measure up to what everyone expects of me anyhow.''

Raichi turned toward her, his gaze softening. The appreciation he had for her honesty was unmeasurable. At the same time, it made his heart ache.

''Y–Yamada-san… if you think you aren't doing enough… forgive me, but…'' He hesitated, clenching his fist slightly. ''I think that… you're mistaken.''

''...What do you mean—?''

Yaori said, her eyes suddenly widened as her gaze froze looking at him.

''You've already done so much for me… and in such a short time. If you could do that with me… you must have done more than enough for Ayaka-san over these years.''

''D-Do you… really mean that?''

''Of course I do!'' He said, now smiling earnestly at her. ''I mean… look at you. You do shopping, you study so hard… your grades are so high that I can't even reach them…. You ace through all of them.''

''S-Sato…-kun…'' She said, her mouth agape, filled to the brim with gratitude. ''I— Thank you… so much!''

''Hehehe. Anytime… Yamada-san.'' He suddenly grabbed the book away from her, scrolling through it haphazardly as he smiled to himself. ''But do know… you have Ayaka-san… and of course, me.''

''O-Okay… I– I appreciate everything you've done for me, Sato-kun.''

''A-And I feel the same way, Yamada-san.''

With an abrupt, indescribable silence, they laughed in sync. Now happy with the personal experiences they had just exchanged.

But deep inside, Raichi probed through the memory of these past days, doubting himself… what honorable thing did a closed-off nobody person like him do to deserve such trust and acknowledgment?

From the distant room, Ayaka's voice echoed,

''C'mon, you two! Dinner's ready!''