They spent a little while longer talking to her parents before deciding to head home. They were walking down the sidewalk holding hands. Little did they know standing there with a bouquet of roses watching them walk away was Towa. He had a frown on his face and whispered to himself. “Where are they headed this late at night?” He dropped the flowers on the ground. Eizan and Mio were almost to his apartment when Eizan frowned and looked over at Mio. “I hate to tell you but were being followed.”

Mio’s eyes widened “Who’s following us?”

“I don’t know. They’ve been following us since we left your house. They’ve stayed a block behind us for nearly the whole way.”

“What should we do?”

“Run.”

“What?”

“Come on let’s go.” Eizan started to pull her along and started to run towards his apartment. At the next corner he turned left and hid behind them behind a bush. A few moments later Towa rounded the corner looking confused. Mio whispered “Towa. Why is he following us?” Eizan shook his head. “I don’t know. Should we confront him?” Mio shook her head “No. Let’s just wait.”

Towa was standing there about 15 meters away. “Where did they go?” He grumbled. “I can’t believe they noticed me.” He turned around and walked back towards the direction he came.

Eizan and Mio were currently huddled behind a bush in someone’s yard. They’re shoulders were touching. He heard Mio sigh in relief next to him. “Are you alright?”

She turned to him and smiled softly. “I’m fine.” Then she noticed how close they were. They’re eyes locked. They’re faces are only a few inches apart. His and her breathing began to increase. All of a sudden a light flicked on in the house behind them. They both froze Eizan grabbed her hand. “Run.” They both stood up and ran towards his apartment. Standing on the street in front of his apartment trying to catch their breath. In between ragged breaths he commented. “That could have been bad.” She started giggling next to him. He looked at her and started to giggle himself.

They walked up towards his apartment talking and giggling. Looking through the window of her apartment at the couple across the street Alicia had a smile on her face. “They sure are late tonight. I wonder what happened.” She watched them enter the apartment and smiled. “I wish I could find someone.” Then she saw a shadowy figure come out from around the corner. He was staring at the two entering the apartment. Murata was slowly approaching and stopped right in front of his apartment. He was looking up at Eizan’s door. Rage could be seen behind his eyes. “What is she doing in his apartment this late at night?” A man appeared from the shadows next to the apartment building. He was wearing a brown suit and a fedora. “Murata Towa, I presume.” Murata’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know my name?”

The man in the brown suit slowly approached him. “Not only do I know your name. I know where you live. I know everything about you, even where you were born.” Murata had an even angrier look on his face. “Who are you?” The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a box of cigarette’s. He pulled one out and lit it. “I’m just a follower of an old demon that protects that child.” Murata didn’t seem happy with his answer. “What do you want from me?” The man blew out a puff of smoke directly at him. Murata waved the smoke away from his face. “I’m just here to give you a warning. Leave master Eizan and miss Mio alone.” Murata’s eyes were bright with I fiery rage. “And if I don’t?” The man laughed and coughed a little. “I’ve heard you’re a bright kid, figure it out for yourself.” Murata stood there. “Just answer me one thing.” The man lifted his hat a little and stood there silently smoking his cigarette. “Why is she here this late? I noticed he was carrying her bag.” The man frowned. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.” Towa stepped towards him. “Of course, it’s my business. We’ve been friends since we were babies.” The man looked up at Eizan’s apartment. “She lives here at the moment.” Towa’s eyes widened. “Why would she move in with him?” The man turned back towards him. “Is it weird to live with your fiancé?” Towa stumbled backwards in shock. “H-her fiancé? That can’t be true.” The man threw his cigarette on the ground and stomped on it. “Young man, are you going to leave or am I going to have to remove you myself.” Towa felt the man’s presence change to something ominous. He instinctually started to back away. “I’m leaving.” Towa turned and ran away. The man in the brown suit bent down and picked his cigarette butt off the ground. “Damn, what a headache.”

Inside the apartment Mio was currently staring at a mess. Eizan was trying his best not to look at her. He had stopped packing because he was worried about her. In the whole time she was gone he had only got three boxes packed. “You really are a slob.”

“This doesn’t count, I was packing.”

She giggled. “Aren’t the movers supposed to pack most of this stuff.”

“That’s what he said. But I don’t want others to touch my stuff.”

“Alright, I’ll help you.”

They both started packing things into boxes. Mio was surprised about how bad he was at it. He kept apologizing but she would just giggle and show him how to do it correctly. They spent the next hour packing everything he had scattered around. She was sprawled out on the floor with a tired look on her face. Her stomach growled. Eizan looked over at her with a worried look on his face. “Did you eat dinner?”

“U-um… I fell asleep, remember.”

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He sighed. “The 24-hour convenience store is open a couple blocks from here do you want to go get some snacks?” She sat up quickly “Can we?” He looked at her strangely. “Of course, we can.”

“I’ve never been out this late at night before.”

“Really.”

“Well, yeah. My parents would never let me go out this late.”

“Let’s go then.” He extended his hand to help her up off the ground.

A few minutes later, Mio is staring at the snacks at the store. She’s looking at each one very closely, trying to figure out what to buy. Eizan was looking at her curiously. “Having trouble deciding. We can buy multiple if you want.” She turned to him and smiled brightly. “Really?”

“Sure, why not?”

“Well, I’ve never really been allowed to buy snacks like this before.”

“What? Why?”

“My mother is very strict about food. We rarely get snacks.”

Eizan seemed lost in thought for a few seconds. “Then buy whatever you want to try. We can save whatever we don’t eat for later.”

“Really?” Eizan nodded. Mio started jumping up and down excitedly. She turned and started to look at the snacks again. Just then Eizan’s friend Yuuto rounded the end of the isle and stopped. He and Eizan just stared at each other for a few seconds. Yuuto glanced at Mio then back at Eizan. He smiled mischievously “What’s up Eizan.” Eizan smiled a fake smile. “What’s up Yuuto?” Eizan instinctually thought back to the last time he and Yuuto met at this very store. “Damnit, why is he here this late at night.” Mio looked over at Yuuto and then up at Eizan. “Is he a friend of yours?” Eizan sighed. “Mio let me introduce you to Sakamoto Yuuto, my friend and 3rd year captain of the soccer team.” Mio looked over at Yuuto. “Nice to meet you, I’m Sakurai Mio, Eizan’s um...” She looked over at him with a worried look on her face. Her and Eizan were both thinking the same thing “What are we exactly?” He spoke up trying to ease the tension. “It’s complicated.”

Yuuto smiled trying to ease the tension himself. “So, what’s up. You two just out getting a late-night snack.?”

Eizan laughed and looked over at Mio. “Something like that. I’m surprised to see you here so late.”

Yuuto looked a little awkward. “Well, we got a little hungry. So, something sweet sounded nice.”

Eizan tilted his head “Are you here with someone?”

Then from the next isle a blonde-haired girl yelled at Yuuto. “Yuuto, what are you doing over there?” He yelled back. “Just talking to a friend.” Rounding the corner was a blonde haired Gyaru. She grabbed Yuuto’s arm. “Yuuto come on it’s getting late.” Eizan and Mio were both staring. The blonde-haired girl looked over at Eizan. “Who’s your hunky friend?” Mio instinctually grabbed ahold of his arm. “That’s my friend Eizan. Eizan this is Kiba Akari, my girlfriend.”

“Nice to meet you Kiba.” Mio’s grip on his arm lessened after she heard the word girlfriend.

Yuuto scratched his cheek. “Well, I’ll see you later. We have to get back to my place.”

Eizan smiled mischievously. “Later Yuuto, have fun.” Yuuto waved goodbye and was dragged away by Kiba. Eizan looked down at Mio who was still clinging to his arm. “Don’t worry I’m not going anywhere.” She looked up at him and puffed out her cheeks. “You better not.” Eizan laughed and rubbed the top of her head. “Did you choose your snacks?” She opened her eyes wide. “Oh, I forgot give me a few seconds.” She let go of his arm but held on to his hand as she chose her snacks. Eizan was looking down at their linked hands lost in thought “What are we exactly. She’s not even my girlfriend. Is she, my fiancé? No, not officially yet. I guess at the moment were just really close friends.” He frowned. “I don’t like this at all. I need to do something, but what can I do?” Mio looked up at him and smiled brightly. He thought to himself. “I know what I have to do.” When she noticed the weird look on his face, she tilted her head to the side. “Is something wrong?” He shook his head and gave her a small smile. “No, everything is ok at the moment.” She smiled at him. “Good, now hold these.” She let go of his hand and started to hand him snack after snack. He was just shaking his head with a goofy looking smile on his face. He thought to himself “Whatever makes her happy.”

They walked home slowly in the warm nights air. Mio was humming happily thinking about the snacks she was about to eat. They arrived back at the apartment and sat down to eat. Mio was currently filling her mouth with snacks and her cheeks were puffed out like a chipmunk. Eizan was giggling at the sight of her, but she was too distracted by the snacks. She would do a little dance every time she tried a new one. Eizan smiled at her softly. “You really are cute.” She turned and looked at him curiously, her cheeks still full of snacks. She started to speak with her mouth full. “mwhmat mism msmom mcmute ambout mmem.” Eizan laughed “Try swallowing your food first.” Mio chewed for a few seconds more and swallowed. “I said what’s so cute about me?” Eizan tilted his head in confusion. “You do realize your considered one of the cutest girls in school, right?” She gave him a confused look. “I am?” Eizan nodded. “That doesn’t make a lot of sense. All I ever do is sit quietly and read. I’m a total bookworm.” Eizan scratched his cheek. “Yeah, that’s why they call you the goddess of the library.” She frowned “I don’t like that nickname.” Eizan’s eyes widened. “You know about your nickname.” She still had a grumpy look on her face. “Yeah, Ren told me a little while ago, when I asked her if I had a nickname. I don’t like it though.” Eizan burst out laughing and grabbed a cracker from the package in front of him. She puffed out her cheeks. “Don’t lau…” Eizan had reached up and stuck the cracker in her mouth before she could finish saying don’t laugh at me. She had a grumpy look on her face as she chewed it.

Eizan smiled at her as he watched her chew. He reached up and rubbed her cheek with his hand. “Mio, will you be my girlfriend?” Her eyes widened and she swallowed the cracker. “B-but aren’t we in the middle of a month-long marriage interview?” Eizan got a serious look on his face. “That is true. But I don’t like the idea of just going from friends to fiancé. I want you to be my girlfriend first. Granted, it may only be a few weeks. If you do decide to marry me, by the end of the month. But even if you can’t decide by then, I still want you to be my girlfriend.” Mio was sitting there with a stunned look on her face. Eizan and Mio sat there in silence for a few seconds. His heart was racing waiting for her response. “You don’t have to respond now, if you want time to decide.” She leapt into his arms and hugged him all of a sudden. “I-I don’t need time.” She looked up at him and smiled softly. “Of course, I’ll be your girlfriend.” She hugged him even tighter and he hugged her back. “I promise I will try my best to make you happy.” She looked up at him and said “I’m just happy being by your side.” They hugged each other tightly. They cuddled together and ate snacks for awhile before going to bed.