After a few minutes Takumi resumed his narration, while Eri internally questioned her own motives.

She had kissed him before even knowing his name so maybe her desires really weren't much different than his. The embarrassing message that Chisa had sent about using protection implied that even her best friend had assumed that they might end up doing more than kissing. Her gaze focused on him again, and she wondered how you were supposed to tell someone that you wanted to kiss them more too.

When Takumi had finished his cooking preparations, he climbed back onto the bed and sat against the headboard again. He looked startled and then smiled at her when she cautiously crawled over and cuddled against him. She didn't explain, and he reached up and ran his fingers through her hair, letting the short soft curls bounce as they slipped off his fingertips.

He kissed her hesitantly at first, and then more warmly when she didn't pull away. But after kissing him for a little while, she couldn't help pointing out, "You haven't finished telling me."

He told her the rest, while she laid against his shoulder and enjoyed the soft hum of his voice. And finally he told her about the woman who had been waiting in the hall.

"Kasumi really seemed to like me at first, and we had fun, but after about half a year she decided that I was too boring," he paused and looked at Eri a little anxiously.

"Okay?" she replied questioningly.

"I thought maybe it was partly my fault, and maybe I was being unbearably boring. I like routine. I like having a job where I go to work at the same time everyday, I like getting to plan my vacations and visit amazing places, and then come home and sleep in my own bed and resume my ordinary life." He added bitterly, "I tried to go to more places she liked, and tried to work it out instead of giving up. But now I wonder if I only tried to meet her expectations because I wanted to be in love with her."

"And now you want to be in love with me?" Eri asked uncomfortably.

He reached out and touched her face lightly, and laughed a little. "No," he replied firmly, but with amusement.

"You don't want to be in love with me?" she asked with confusion.

"I was joking about first sight, mostly, but there's definitely attraction and more," he replied seriously. "I really want you to like me as well as want me."

She shrugged and replied uncomfortably, "Sorry, I don't know yet."

"It's okay." He smiled at her and then sobered again as he continued, "Anyway, it's different. I think I wanted to be in love with her because she was beautiful and she could make me laugh, but I wasn't really. I just thought if we could adapt to each other, if I gave it more time…" he said wistfully.

Eri looked at him unhappily and he said, "I'm sorry. Anyway, she just got more frustrated with me." He closed his eyes and grimaced. "And the way she broke up with me was horrible. I got home early one day and found her in my apartment with another man. She claimed I was being annoyingly clingy, and that I didn't own her and that at least he wasn't boring."

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He opened his eyes and looked at Eri and said, "If you ever want to break up with me, just tell me. I'll believe you."

"Okay," Eri agreed uncomfortably.

He touched her cheek and then kissed her lightly. Her eyes darkened a little and her lips reddened from just that much, and he grinned and told her, "You're so cute. I really could fall for you."

"I don't see how you can think you might be able to fall in love with me already," she protested unhappily.

He looked at her and replied thoughtfully, "I don't know, but I've known plenty of women. This feels a little different?"

"Twenty-four girlfriends and nineteen one night or one weekend stands," she listed.

He winced and corrected, "Twenty-one then, I um, added a couple more after Kasumi left." She sighed, and he said unhappily, "I really don't think telling you all this was a good idea."

"I do," she replied firmly.

"Well, maybe it is a good warning for you, but…" he began again.

She leaned in and kissed him. He gave her a confused look. "Even if I think you're wrong about being able to start falling in love so quickly," she reached up and touched his face, "you've slowed down on dating as you got older, and it sounds like you really did make an effort to make things work."

He nodded uncertainly, and she lowered her fingers and kissed him again.

"And you never said you cheated on anyone," she added.

"No," he agreed, and leaned in to kiss her more deeply.

She shyly reached up and pulled him closer as they kissed again.

He trailed kisses along her jaw and then murmured against her ear, "Please at least agree to try dating me."

"Okay," she agreed calmly, since she had already decided that much.

He grinned at her and kissed her again. After a little while he shifted uncomfortably. When he did it again a few minutes later, she sat up and asked, "What's wrong?"

He wordlessly reached out and moved her hand. She blushed and snatched her fingers back like they'd been burned.

"It's okay, I know you're not ready," he said reassuringly.

She looked away and admitted uncomfortably, "I'd kind of like to try it, I think."

He laughed and pulled her up tight against him, but he warned her seriously, "It's not something that you're going to be able to try a little of and stop."

She bit her lip and said shyly, "Okay, then I mean I'd kind of like to do it?"

He told her a little roughly, "Don't say that unless you mean it, I'm serious!" Then suddenly anxious he asked, "How old are you even?"

She looked at him and laughed. "Are you worried?" She asked teasingly.

He nodded and told her, "My father got arrested when he was dating my mother because she was still only seventeen when they started dating. They just laugh when they talk about it, but I think it would be awful."

She grinned and replied, "I'm already twenty-one."

He examined her face carefully, but then he hugged her tightly and whispered, "I'm glad."

"You must be about twenty-five?" she asked uncertainly. He raised an eyebrow at her and she added, "You don't look any older than that, but you said that you got your degree several years ago."

"Twenty-seven," he corrected. Then he released her and she looked at him uncertainly. He leaned over the edge of the bed and sat up with a distinctive packet between his fingers.

She blushed and stared at it.

"Shall we?" he asked.

She bit her lip, and then nodded.