Part 1

His arms began to hurt after having held the journal high above his face for so long. A numb, prickling sensation crawled its way through his muscles, and eventually, he brought them down with a sigh.

“This side of the roof was fine this morning but…it’s noon now.”

The soothing morning air from a few hours ago held no humidity, and the temperature felt just right. Even as the sun climbed higher, and the day became warmer, he could hide in the shade provided by the angled roof. But with the blazing yellow orb now directly above him, the only shade he could get was by the one he created by holding his journal above his eyes. It wasn’t so bad at first, but in time his blood stopped properly circulating and he couldn’t feel his fingers.

“Well, it was annoying to write like that anyway,” he said, sitting upright, “and Yui should be here in a few minutes.”

Neither of them noticed when she started visiting every weekend, but that was hardly a surprise since she came over every other day. Earlier she’d sent him a text, wanting to show him something, and couldn’t help but smile in defeat, bracing for whatever she had planned for the two of them.

He sat forwards, giving the journal in his hands shade with his upper body while flipping to the most recent page. His notes were visibly ragged in appearance because the ink that created them was worn and dry; much of it was due to his sloppy handwriting, but it was also the result of his supplies. He never bothered replacing something until it completely broke down, but even he had to admit the difference was remarkable.

Holding his new pen to the journal, he made intricate traces along the edges of the paper; it flowed seamlessly down the page— having neither so much ink that it bled through, or so little it felt choppy and dry. Even the design itself was just his style— the body being a smooth, faint silver with the exception of the trim that separated its mechanical parts, which were a deep, onyx black.

It was an incredibly thoughtful gift, one that wouldn’t just be handed out at random.

And it was this thought process that led him to return the favor.

He covered his eyes as he observed the clouds dotting the noon blue sky.

“Do you think she’ll like it?”

He remembered thinking for a long time about what to get her before finally asking that question to Yui, and her aura absolutely terrified him before he explained that he was simply returning her kindness. Of course, Yui wouldn’t help him gift something a person wouldn’t enjoy, and because it was his first time truly giving someone a gift, he wanted to give Ai something that would be as useful to her as this pen was to him.

Or at the very least, something she would enjoy just as much.

He gently held open the most recent page in his journal while spinning the metal object with his hand. The pages were filled to the brim, but the conclusion was obvious.

Luka received a phone charm from their classmate. At first, Yuuko thought it might’ve been luck she gave his friend a trinket from a mobile gacha he actively plays; after all it was popular, so she would have a good shot at giving it to anyone who fits the stereotypical appearance of someone who plays those types of games. But then he received his own gift.

A pen is practical for any student since they’d use it nearly everyday, but a pen of this quality would only be maintained by somebody who frequently, and habitually, writes. Upon asking Luka, he found that the rest of the gifts his classmates received matched shockingly well with what he’s written about each of their hobbies and preferences; that begged the question he still hadn’t figured out the answer to. The question about the girl who gives everyone a present.

“Ai,” he whispered, closing the pages of his journal and shielding his eyes. “How in the world do you understand them so well?”

Part 2

Ai never had a “bad” date before, since a date is largely based on how a person views and experiences it. A person can choose whether or not they want to have a good time by focusing on the positives as much as possible; having fun, then, is mostly a matter of choice.

Not everyone thought like that, but it’s something that’s helped with her work, especially so when she had clients that were less than chivalrous.

“But right now might just be the closest I’ve ever had to one.” she whispered with a sigh.

Their surroundings couldn’t have been better for a date; following the giant glass advertisement outside the cafe down the street, they had made their way inside the aquarium after a surprisingly short queue.

“Will you be paying together or separate?” smiled the kind receptionist.

Ai was no fool, for a person with as little experience as the boy standing behind her, she knew she’d be paying for her own ticket. But genuine surprise struck her face for a brief moment when he just stood there, a mildly panicked expression plastered on his face. In less than a second, her thoughts ran through several stages before a solution hurriedly thrust itself to the front of her mind.

“Ahhh,” she said, tapping the top of her head with her knuckles and sticking her tongue out. “I just remembered that we agreed I would pay this time; he’s going to get our lunch!” she said, laughing and wrapping her arms around the boy staring at the ground with hands in his pockets.

“Ohh, I see,” beamed the woman in front of her. A stray flash of light striking the glass let her notice the ring on the woman’s finger. She looked young for a wife, around early-twenties at most. “What a wonderful date idea, I should try it with my husband!”

“Awwh that sounds so romantic, I’m know he’d love it!”

“Aaah, I hope so! He’s an introvert, but likes surprises every once in a while.”

“Men won’t admit it, but most of them do!”

They laughed as Ai paid the nearly forty dollar fee for their entrance.

“What a nice lady,” she said, waving goodbye to the receptionist as they walked inside.

“Yeah,” he said, looking at a small tank to his left. “She is.”

Another hour after that moment passed and she could count the amount of complete sentences he’d spoken on one hand. Every time she tried to strike up conversation, he responded with one word answers, or in the bluntest way possible; she was surprised at the amount of annoyance she felt.

Yet at the same time, she didn’t blame him.

To Ai, understanding people was a part of her work— the better she is at it, the more she can support those she cares for. She was always one to look for ways to comfort and support those around her, it was practically a necessity when she lived at home, but her skills became refined tenfold through her work. She found herself paying more attention to what people say, but more so to what they didn’t. She learned it was referred to as “body language” a few months ago.

A sting-ray lazily floated past the glass in front of her as she wandered a few dozen feet from her client.

She didn’t remember where she read it, but the site had mentioned around seventy percent or more of the way people expressed themselves was through their body— through their actions and the way they move. Given the way the boy acted around her, it was hardly a surprise this was her most difficult date. His hands were in his pockets, and while his shoulders weren’t necessarily slumped or his back arched, he didn’t walk with his legs; if she had to describe it, it was as if an imaginary weight were tied to his back.

Moreover, he hardly looked at her. When she asked him direct questions, he chose to instead look at her blouse, and she could even feel him leering at her skirt whenever she walked ahead. Normally she wouldn’t pay it any mind, but it irked her because he hadn’t bothered to compliment her outfit, yet devoured it with his eyes. All this, and that he always hovered some meters around her general vicinity, let her know that he clearly wanted to be there, but had trouble knowing what to do or say.

“And here I thought I was easy to talk to.” she internally chastised. “I wonder if…!!” Her eyes, which were glued to her hand, interrupted her words. She had no idea when, but she had begun tracing patterns on the skin of her left palm, right where she’d touched the boy’s hands yesterday.

“I..didn’t even notice I…” she fervently shook her head, knocking the thoughts away. She was working, it wasn’t the time to be thinking about another boy.

“……………?…”

Another boy?

……when was the last time that happened?

“No no! Focus—Focus!” she said, hitting her cheeks with both hands. “Fine! If he doesn't want to approach me, then fine—I’ll do it!”

Though she was ahead of him, she spun around on her heel, practically thrusting her body into his arm.

“Say mister~” she began, “can you take me to pet the manta rays?”

Ai thought his blush must’ve been deep if she could see it so clearly through the filtered blue light around them; though she was also incredibly close to his face.

From the little distance separating them, she could see small patches of acne on his upper cheeks and temples; it perhaps would’ve made her recoil in the early days of her career, but by now she’d seen worse. She wasn’t a fan of clients who didn’t take care of their hygiene, but it wasn’t as if the boy was gruesome.

Aside from scarce amounts of acne and oil, there wasn’t anything particularly dirty about him. His hair wasn’t messy, albeit because it was short, and while he didn’t have a strong fashion sense, his clothes smelled surprisingly clean.

“Mhm,” she thought. “It might not be so bad this time.”

“M-Mio?”

“Hmm?” she said, looking up at him. “Oh! Ohh I’m sorry~! I got distracted again ehehe~”

The boy gave a nervous laugh as the two headed towards their destination; the hallways were crowded, but still large enough to where they could walk unhindered.

All around her, Ai could see children, families, and couples with glad expressions, as if they were happy to simply be there. If one of the many people around her didn’t wear a smile, then it was an expression of astonishment, and if not that, then a calm, serene face— one that told her they were reflecting on the wonders around them. And though the guests far outnumbered them, the workers still milled about cleaning tanks, directing tourists, and completing whatever tasks needed to be done in order for such a beautiful place to continue running.

It gave her a difficult feeling when she saw the exasperated, yet eager faces of many of them. It was an expression of being needed.

“Happiness is supposed to come from other people.”

She said that to Rea, but happiness wasn’t what she was searching for.

People need other people. Humans need other humans.

If she offered herself to others…would that make her—

“We’re here.”

Before them was a giant room with bright, clear lights, illuminating every fish in the multiple see-through tanks. Some were enormous vertical rectangles, having stairs built into the sides for visitors to see the entirety of the tank, however most were lengthy and shallow enough that one could reach over and put their hand inside.

She pushed the weighty feeling deeper inside herself before wearing a smile and excitedly bouncing on the tips of her toes. “Ohhh!” she exclaimed, rapidly clapping her hands and dashing over to join a group of young children petting a rather large manta ray.

“Eheheh,” she said, pulling her wet hand out and drying it in the air. “It feels like slimy muscle; here, try it, try it!”

Before the boy could protest, she grabbed his arm and tugged him towards the long, low tank that held the strange looking fish, like little kites floating along the water. It made them look sluggish, but Ai thought that just made them cuter.

“It…feels weird.”

“Ahahaha, doesn't it?!”

Yanking him out of the water with surprising force, she took them to each of the exhibits around them. A handful had fish they could only see, mostly those in the giant vertical tanks, but that was alright with her since most were able to be touched— assuming one was brave enough.

And even as she enjoyed herself, she couldn’t help but notice the people around her. Glancing around her, mothers were looking over their children with their fathers; groups of friends laughing playfully as they remarked to one another about the strangeness of the creatures. The people surrounding her all had some type of relationship, a bond forged that made them feel alive and……real.

A bond.

Was that something she offered people?

She thought about that question a lot as she gained experience, it nearly always happened after comforting a client. And, in time, she reached an answer.

She wanted to say that she offered people a bond, an intimate time, perhaps even…an escape.

But she would be lying.

But it was human to lie.

If she offered people an intimate time, a bond they could have, even if temporary, she would be qualified to call herself human. But if the opposite was true…then……

“So~ have you ever been to an aquarium before?”

“A few times.”

“Ohh! I used to come all the time when I was little, my favorite part was petting all the fishies, in case you couldn’t tell eheheh~”

She reached down, petting yet another manta ray before turning. “Say mister, do—”

He looked away. She saw him look away. But it was far too late to hide the fact his gaze had been fixed, glued onto the skirt that managed to show what she was wearing underneath.

Her eyes narrowed as she stood and approached him, his face a deep crimson.

“Mister, I didn’t know you were so le~cher~ous.” she emphasized, poking his chest after every syllable.

“I-I didn’t mean to!”

“That’s not how it looked to me~”

“L-Look, can we just—!”

He stopped himself. Maybe out of embarrassment, maybe out of shame— either way, like his gaze, she knew exactly where he was going.

“Hmm~hm, that time already huh?”

Without waiting for his reply, she took his arm and led them both out of the brightly lit room. Children scurried past them in search of their next big adventure, hand in hand with friends or family.

It made her think that, certainly, she was right. She couldn’t offer anything as treasured as a bond.

A real relationship.

The red neon sign read “Exit,” and she followed it to the outside world.

Part 3

“Oh, Yuuko, good morning! You mentioned it’s okay to call you by your first name right? Do you need help with something?”

She tried to rip her mind away from that memory— she was with a client right now, she needed to focus.

But to her body, this was routine. It acted on its own— removing clothes from her thin, shapely body was an automatic response, it didn’t matter how Ai felt about it. At the very least, it allowed for her mind to wander.

“Sorry for the bother, especially before class.”

“Oh my, how polite~!” she laughed. “But no need to apologize since it’s only the two of us here; I’m trying to come in earlier since Miss Wakako said I’ve been tardy as of late, so it’s nice to be able to talk to someone and break all this silence ehehe.”

“That’s one of the reasons I like the morning so much actually, the quiet almost gives the school a different atmosphere.”

“It’s incredible the difference a little peace and quiet makes, especially if you compare how lively things are after school.”

“Speaking of, I was originally planning to give you this after classes were over, but I think the timing might be better now.”

She could hear the faint *tap* sound of her bra hitting the floor. She used to feel so exposed, vulnerable even, but that feeling had long since dulled.

This was her work. This was her choice.

……it was for the best.

“This is…!”

“A way to say thank you. I can tell you put a lot of thought into the pen you gave me and I……wanted to thank you for it.”

She felt the covers of the bed around her, the familiar feeling would normally make her skin crawl, but—

“Y-You didn’t really…ahaha, gosh umm, you didn’t need to!”

“I wanted to.”

—right now, the feeling wasn’t there.

“I……aahaaha my oh my~! I’m sorry, I don’t know what to say. Thank you, Yuuko, I’ll happily accept it.”

The scene was engraved into her mind; the morning sun filtered into the classroom, tinting everything a glowing white as the birds outside chirped three to four times each.

And most of all, when she reached out to receive it, their hands—

She opened and closed the palm of her left hand.

“—this warmth………why couldn’t I feel it the first time I touched him?”

“I-I—I can’t! I’m so sorry but I just can’t!”

A deafening screech pierced her ears, causing Ai’s mind to crash into the moment so quickly she felt vertigo.

“H-Hey, what’s wrong?”

The boy in front of her didn’t have any clothes on, revealing his thin, almost gaunt figure. Maybe that’s why, seeing him crying into the sheets clutched into his hands, Ai thought he looked more like a newborn child than a university student.

He looked so vulnerable.

“I’m sorry!” he cried in snivels. “I’m so— I can-I can’t cheat on her, I can’t!”

With those simple words, everything settled into place.

The boy had his back in an arch, as though pleading before the woman laid bare in front of him. And hearing the sound of his request, Ai smiled; sitting upright, she closed the distance between them, putting a hand on his knee and speaking as she would to a child.

“It’s okay.”

With only two words, the boy broke down even more. She heard the sounds of him biting into the blanket, trying to muffle the crying, along with the surprised gasp that escaped his throat at feeling a pair of arms tenderly wrap themselves around him, pulling him into a warm embrace.

“It’s okay.”

Using what little strength her body afforded her, she lifted him up, nuzzling him into the upper area of her chest. Her tone was so gentle, so warm, that he couldn’t help but accept her, clutching her body as though it were his only path towards forgiveness.

“The girl you’re talking about……is she your girlfriend?”

With an eruption of sniffles that resembled words, the boy began to confess.

“N—N-No, but I, I really l-like her…”

“I see. But if you really like her, why did you come to see me?”

Ai felt the grip around her shoulders tighten— his uncut fingernails digging into the skin. She lost track of how long he held onto her before talking. Maybe tens of minutes, maybe only a few.

“I-I wanted……practice…” He said, having calmed down enough to speak clearly.

“Practice?”

The strength gradually faded from his arms, and in turn, she let her own arms slip down his sides onto the sheets beneath her. Looking at him again, the boy was still incredibly thin with patches of uneven hair across his body, but his face looked much more relieved, if drowned in guilt.

“I…asked her out……a little more than a week ago.” he began. “I’ve known her for a long time so……I wasn’t expecting her to say yes.”

“But it’s wonderful she accepted, then you two—” she paused after holding her tongue. Lightly tilting her head to the side, her bangs fell in front of her eyes but she didn’t bother brushing them aside.

“—I see. A practice date. And practice for what happens when the date doesn't end with ‘goodbye’.”

The boy scrubbed away the stray moisture around his eyes with his arm; it was a good way to avoid her gaze.

“I wanted to know how to do it correctly,” he explained. “I thought I could, but during the date I—”

His voice broke. She shifted her body closer, but didn’t embrace him this time; instead delicately touching the front of his knee.

Clearing his quivering voice with a deep breath, he continued.

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“Even though it was practice, I felt like I was cheating on her.”

“She’s already on the train home dammit!”

Ai felt a curly strand of hair behind her ear slip forward, grazing her cheek.

“You like her so much you would practice for her?”

“I’ve known her for five years,” he said. “And I never stopped thinking about her I……even now, I want my first time to be with her…”

“So you stopped.”

He scrunched his body inward, causing his meek appearance to look even smaller.

“I’m sorry…I’m really, truly sorry…everything about today is my fault……”

“Do you think so?”

The boy looked as if Ai had spoken a foreign language.

Another strand of hair fell in front of her face, but this time, Ai swept the entirety of her bangs backwards. There was nothing in the way anymore; nothing to impede the view of the calm, almost regal expression Ai showed the boy.

“Do you think you’re at fault?”

The smile she wore… he felt a sense of comfort from it. Like an elder sister.

“I—”

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to save yourself for the person you love.” she said, moving her face closer to him. “Do you love her?”

“…I……”

“……………”

“……I…………I think I really do.”

She closed her eyes with a nod, satisfied with his answer.

“Then there’s no fault, and nothing to worry about.” she said to the boy who’d leaned in, ingraining her every word to memory. “Practice is overrated anyway. Two people can learn and grow together, something most tend to forget.”

A smile grew on the boy’s face, stretching wider and wider like a time-lapsed night. But he paused at seeing Ai. Her smile lost its aura of a wise elder sister, now appearing……simpler.

“Besides,” she laughed, surprising him. “It’ll be fun to remember all the silly mistakes and moments you two will first make together~!”

“Aha…haha……” he said, joining her small giggles with bellows of his own. “Ahahaha! N-Now I’m going to be even more nervous about it!”

“It’s a natural thing to feel when it comes to that person.”

“Y-Yeah. Even if I’ve known her for years, I’ve never felt a connection like her with anyone else. I guess…thinking about it, I guess it is a normal feeling…….if it’s with the person you love.”

He had been looking at the sheets under him, but lifted his sight just in time to question whether or not her expression had changed. He didn’t know if, just for a moment, her eyes went wide— like she heard something saddening……or something painful.

But the face she wore now was so calm, he surely thought he imagined it.

“Alrighty then.” she said, approaching the boy.

“W-Wait, M-Mio I thought we just said—”

He stopped. It was his misunderstanding.

“For you,” she said, whispering into his ear. It was easy to do when the hug she was giving him allowed her to be close enough to do so. “Just for you, just for today, I won’t charge you. Get dressed, and go to the girl who’s enraptured your soul.”

He stood still— his heart wasn’t beating quickly, but powerfully; like a drum playing against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, feeling the warm sensation of her palms on his back.

“Thank you…so much……”

She giggled. “You’re very welcome.”

She leaned back, covering herself with a blanket as the boy hastily put on his clothes. Maybe it was the sensation of him being watched that caused him to be so clumsy— wearing his shirt backwards, having trouble putting his legs through his pants; Ai found it a childish amusement to it. Eventually he was all set, and bidding her goodbye and thanking her once more, he made for the door.

“Mister.”

“A-Ah, yeah?”

She gave him a smile, that warm aura returned— where did such a thing come from?

“This time, don’t let your girlfriend pay for the first date.”

With a flushed face, he mumbled something about her being right, and an apology, before thanking her once more and shutting the door behind him.

It seems that lately, she’d been seeing a lot of closed doors.

“I’ve never felt a connection like her with anyone else…”

No. Not all of them.

Absentmindedly putting on her clothes, she stopped after a small part of her blouse grazed the skin of her left palm.

“I wanted to thank you for it.”

“…………”

She held the hand gingerly against the warmth of her body, afraid that if she let go, the feeling would disappear.

“………why…?”

“I wanted to.”

She traced the lines on the inside of her hand with her thumb. She still hadn’t worn the gift he’d gotten her, but a new week would be starting soon.

Maybe she could start?

She closed her eyes, savoring the tingling sensation that made her heart feel warm.

“I wonder…if I can do something else for him.”

Part 4

“This…” he said, walking side by side with his friend, “feels like a difficult situation.”

“Hmmmmmmm,” thrummed a pouting Luka. “I knew not that receiving two boons from one of the most physically desirable females of our classmates was ‘difficult’, Yuu-Boy.”

“Not you too,” he bemoaned.

Thankfully the piercing stares stopped after having walked some distance away from his classroom, where the rest of the first years didn’t know him. In fact, the only person left who knew about what happened only seconds after the lunch bell rang was the boy walking to his right; even though he teased him in such a way, Yuuko knew Luka’s heart didn’t really harbor any jealousy.

“I didn’t get two presents.” he heard him whisper to himself. “Could’ve gotten another gacha gift, maybe some credits for a few rolls on the next banner, but no.”

Yuuko scratched the back of his head. “Maybe…there’s just a little.”

“And how shall you explain this to Yui?” asked the boy after his hushed rant had ended.

“What do you mean?”

The question was innocent enough, but the look on his friend’s face suggested otherwise. As the two reached the end of the hallway and climbed the stairs to the second floor, Yuuko couldn’t help but notice his friend tug at his clothes and, oddly enough, scratch the back of his neck.

“W-Well…she gave you another present,” he said, putting down a small plastic box that held his lunch. It was a drastic improvement to the large quantities he’d been carrying not two weeks before. “Hirawa doesn't really talk much to the people in our class, and she doesn't really talk to people after having given them a present.”

“I noticed,” his friend agreed, also setting down his lunch beside a small indention in the wall both recognized as the entrance to the roof. “She doesn't speak much for how popular she is, but it’s not like that’s something uncommon.”

“No, I meant—” Luke sighed. “I’ve heard some people say that she looks at you an awful lot in class.”

“She sits just a few seats behind me.”

“Yuu-Boy—that present has a bow that is literally wrapped in the shape of a heart!”

He looked down at the small box in his hands. Unlike the previous gift, which was a lengthy but handheld rectangle, this one was more standard. A relatively thin, square box, with a lid that could be opened had it not been for the unusual decoration his friend pointed out.

The box was wrapped with the red ribbon that prevented its opening, and while someone from a distance might pass it off as an oddly shaped loop, there was no doubt that the shape was that of a bright red heart.

“I mean, isn’t that weird?!” his friend continued. “Like, she gives people gifts for no reason, it’s weird, but maybe that’s just her being nice. But she’s never given anyone two of them before, and I don’t even think a full week has passed since she gave you the first one!”

“It hasn’t. If I remember correctly, she gave me a gift on Wednesday of last week,” Yuuko commented, causing Luka to throw his hands onto his face in a backwards arch, “I gave her one that Friday.”

“Yuuko you’re not making things sound any beterrrrrrr!!”

“Who gave what on Friday?” interrupted a feminine voice.

“A-AhaHhh! Miss Yui, nothing at all!”

“‘Miss Yui,’?” repeated the girl with an odd smile. “Just Yui is fine, honest. And what’s this about a gift?”

“The gift you helped me find for Ai, I gave it to her last Friday.” said the boy with bright golden eyes and messy hair. “I really should be thanking you again, she seemed to like it considering she gave me another gift.”

“THAT’S why she gave you a second one?” the blonde didn’t ask, so much as scream it to himself. “Wait wait wait,” he continued, holding a time out pose. “Yui, you helped him get her a gift?”

“Ara, you sound surprised.” said the girl, hands mischievously at her chin.

The girl spoke from experience. Yuuko knew that it was rare the day she didn’t have at least some type of ribbon in her hair, and so seeing the way Ai dressed, he figured it was a good idea to consult her about accessories— the gift he’d sought to get her.

Today, Yui wore an amber colored one that was tied in synchrony with the braid dancing horizontally around her hair. It was long enough that she could wear a double braid and leave the rest of her wavy, slightly undulating hair untouched— including some that fell around her cheeks, framing her face incredibly well. The contrast of the yellow with the blue on her uniform would’ve seemed hard on the eyes, but the pale amber color was faint enough that it was somehow complimentary.

Had it not been for his friend’s comment, Yuuko would’ve continued staring.

“I-I mean a little…I guess I just thought……”

“Well like you mentioned,” Yuuko said, “no one really knows her. She’s friendly and kind, if a little reserved, but I’ve never heard her mention any of her hobbies. So, I went off of what I could tell about her— appearances.”

“Not that I think anyone else knows about her job,” he thought, but kept that to himself.

“She’s well dressed and tries to take care of herself, so I thought a small accessory she could wear, something casual enough to be worn at school, might suit her best. And no one knows more about that than Yui.”

Yuuko could see her face flush a bit from the direct complement.

“So the gift you got her was some kind of accessory?”

“Umu,” the girl nodded, folding her arms across her chest. “Accessories are a girl’s best friend, so it’s important to know how to dress. As a wise woman once told me, ‘us ladies need to do our best to look sharp’.”

Luka remembered in that instant.

“That’s what you told me when you were helping me shop,” he said, eyes wide behind the thick red frames. “Yui, how’d you get so good at getting things for other people.”

“It took some time, but I’d like to think I had a good teacher ehehe.” she said, turning to meet the boy behind her. “And I can’t take all the credit. Getting her an actual ribbon was Yuu’s idea.”

“But you did the detail work, and all of the analysis,” he said, approaching her. “I can’t take credit for the hard work you did just to help me.”

The girl turned away, fiddling with a stray lock of her tress; her body couldn’t hide its own joy as she bounced on her toes.

“Amazing…that’s amazing! T-Then it’s no wonder Hirawa got Yuu-Boy another present! Hearing all about it, I’d actually be surprised if she didn’t!”

“Aah, that reminds me—”

In an instant, from simply hearing her tone, Luka teleported behind Yuuko who’d put a thumb to the bridge of his nose.

“—Yuu?” she said, approaching the boy. “What’s this I heard about since the beginning of our conversation about her giving you another gift?”

“Sorry,” his friend squeaked from behind him. “Probably shouldn’t have mentioned.”

“Yuu~?”

With a sigh, he lifted the box located beneath his bag, and for good reason the trembling of the boy behind him became more severe.

She took the box in her hand, carefully examining even the texture of the box itself— but all that paled in comparison to her eyes upon seeing the wrapping.

“A heart.” she stated. “Ah. What a professionally crafted knot. This takes time. Yuu. Why did she give you another gift? One with a heart on it?”

“That’s what I want to know too,” he said, taking the box and laying it on the floor again.

“Yuu~?” said the girl, approaching with haunting steps. “I need more than that Yuuuu~”

“Yuu-Boy I apologize! L-Let’s make haste while we still can!”

“It’s not like it’s a confession,” he sighed.

Fortunately, a loud vibration interrupted the dramatic interrogation. They, especially Yui, ignored it at first, however it happened again, then once more. Checking their pockets, they found it originated from the boy clinging to Yuuko’s shoulder.

And a sudden, joyful smile spread across his face.

“Ah-ahahah, h-hey guys, I’ve gotta go!”

The atmosphere returned to normal as Yui stood by Yuuko’s side, both staring in confusion at the abrupt end to the conversation Luka gave by rushing to collect his items.

“Is…everything okay?” asked the girl who’s tone had been frightening not a minute before.

“Hahaha, indeed, all is splendid!” he exclaimed, pointing a finger to the roof while standing in silence. “Well, bye now—”

His escape was cut off, however, by his friend who’s golden eyes narrowed into slits; even Luka could tell that some sort of an answer was necessary.

“Luka,” said a voice behind him. “We can do this the easy way, or the hard, slightly painful, way.” He craned his neck to see her and almost wished he hadn’t. She was pacing back and forth with her arms behind her back, he couldn’t see her expression.

“W-We’re interrogating me now?”

“We are—” When she spoke, he could feel the danger. “—because you interrupted something very important to me just now.”

The boy in front of him was far less threatening, in fact, knowing Yuuko, he would probably let him leave if he made a run for it, but……they were the friends who’d helped him get this far in the first place.

“I-I’m going to…”

He coughed in a vain attempt to distract himself from the color he could feel rushing to his cheeks, and after a few minutes stalling, he confessed. “I’m meeting Hana…she, ah, needs help installing a camera by the front gate of the school, apparently an order from the student coun—”

“Hana!? The redheaded girl?!”

“Yui, it’s rude to interrupt.”

“Right, sorry,” she said, reigning in the curiosity from her eyes. “But still, you’re meeting her? Just her?”

“W-Well, yeah; she was asked to install some cameras by the front gates. We ran into each other at the library, she said she got asked to do it and I mentioned I’d done it back home. After that she asked if I could help since it might go smoother that way.”

He looked from the boy in front of him, to the girl behind him— he didn’t know whose expression bothered him more.

“W-What?”

“Ara~” teased the girl. “Already making progress are we?”

“I-It’s not ‘progress’!”

“But it. could~! be~~!”

He could feel his face heating up. Stutters and noises escaped his mouth until a finger flicked the back of his head.

“Look up.” said his friend, wearing a soft smile. “You won’t be able to find her if you’re looking anywhere else.”

“I-I was…off guard……” he said, rubbing the back of his head.

“Are you helping her for the rest of our lunch break?” he asked, walking next to the girl.

“Umm, it depends on what equipment she has, what she has to do exactly, a lot of stuff I guess…”

“Ahh~? But in that case, wouldn’t it be better to do all this after school? Seems like it could take a while.”

“I asked about that, she mentioned the president wants the least amount of students to see, though I’m not sure why.”

“Actually…” the boy asked with his eyes narrowed to the window beside them. “Shouldn’t there be cameras there already? Are you replacing one?”

“I……I’m not really sure…”

“That’s not here or there!” she said, lightly punching the boy’s arm. “Go do your best Luka! Let us know how it goes, and if there’s any…development.” Her eyebrows rose and fell in emphasis at the last word, and though her words were playful, he knew they were also sincere. Because the two in front of him were— are— the first friends he’s made at Mirror.

It still didn’t take away from the fact he was amazed at her ability to switch from teasing, to supportive. Even Yuuko was more expressive than usual during their short time together.

Maybe…this is what happens when you find someone you care for.

“Kind of reminds you of home, doesn't it?”

…yeah……it really does.

“I definitely will!”

With a wave and a smile, he hurried back down the stairs and disappeared from sight. Soon, the echoing sound of his footsteps were lost among the barely audible hum of conversation on the lower levels.

“It’s nice to see them getting along so well,” said the girl next to him as they watched their friend disappear from sight, “But I’m a little surprised. You mentioned they don’t speak much right?”

“Not in class, since she’s not big on talking. Our teacher even made an exception for her, apparently. She doesn't need to answer questions out loud or take part in assignments that require us to present; I’m sure she has to complete substitution work to make up for it, but it is odd.”

“Ohhh, I remember now— she uses her phone to type instead of talk.” she said, pacing back and forth to jog her memory. “Hmhm, she didn’t say a word back when Luka fought off that old friend of his.”

“Ryu is his name, he’s stayed away since then,” he said, crossing his arms and looking out the window to see if he could spot his blonde haired friend. “Hopefully it’ll stay that way, but I’m happy for Luka.”

“Ara Yuu, you shouldn’t be happy people get beat up~”

“I mean that he’s making progress,” his voice reflected the fact he knew she was teasing, and he turned to meet her eyes, “After all, relationships are built in stages.”

He could see the tips of her ears dyed slightly red before breaking eye contact and looking at the scenery he did not moments before.

“I suppose they are, and some are in stages further than others.”

“Like the stage of visiting everyday.”

“Like the stage of you being popular in class, especially with so many girls,” she said, prodding a finger to his chest and pouting with puffed cheeks.

“I’m hardly popular,” he sighed, removing her finger. “Besides, I’m sure you draw more eyes than I ever do.”

“That doesn't matter because there’s only one person I’m interested in.” she said, her expression softer yet still somehow pouting.

He felt his face warm up at her comment.

“Yui,” he began, “I really didn’t expect to get a gift in return. I just…I guess I wanted to return the kindness.”

Her cheeks gradually unpuffed as he spoke, until they deflated completely. “I know it’s just……still…”

“She might’ve done it because of how much she liked it you know,” he said, moving in front of her to greet her eyes. “Like I mentioned, you’re really good at getting things for other people.”

She perked up at his words before moving her head to the side, avoiding his gaze once more. “It’s still a heart! I don’t like the fact she might’ve taken it as something else.”

“Then I guess that’s my fault she liked it so much,” he confessed.

“What? How!?”

“Since I wanted to return the favor, it’s obvious I’d want to give her something equally as nice as what she got me. In that case, of course my first reaction would be to ask the prettiest girl I—”

He froze, immediately comprehending what had just left his mouth, but it was too late. Even so, his reaction was nothing compared to the girl in front of him.

He’d never seen someone pivot so quickly, yet remain so still afterwards. Her mouth was slightly agape as she held an arm in front of her, like she could somehow block the comment, but it was far too late for something like that. Blood rushed to the sides of her face, covering even her forehead and leaving her ears a deep shade of crimson.

Her head moved first, then her eyes as she blinked a few times before regaining her posture and hugging her chest in a pout.

“Where did…I would’ve hit you for saying something like that if we were younger……”

“I………that probably would’ve hurt.”

“I would’ve made sure of it,” she said, grinning through the red covering her face.

Seeing her smile, he became aware of just how hot his own face felt. “Sorry, I-I just kind of said the first thing that came to my mind…”

He instinctively looked away. What didn’t help was the fact the night he walked her home still resonated in his mind— over and over and over and over again; the way her thumb danced across the back of his hand…

It felt…so human.

“W-Well…maybe you have a point about this Ai girl liking it so much she wanted to give you another one.” she seemed to be talking more to herself, given that her hands fiddled with each other before curling into fists filled with resolve. “Mhm. Alright, fine. I—I’ll overlook it this one time. Besides…you still owe me, and if you do it, I’ll forgive you.”

“I didn’t even do………wait— here?”

“We normally do it here anyway……is…that a no?”

They both stood in silence for the briefest moment, neither looking at each other. Yuuko peered down the hall behind him, and finding no one there, turned his attention back to the girl in front of him.

“We can since we’re alone, and it doesn't sound like anyone is coming up the stairs but…” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Are you sure you want to do it now? With what I just—”

“Turn around.”

“What?”

“Turn around,” she said, her bangs covering her expression. “Don’t worry about it, just turn around.”

With a difficult expression he obliged, wryly scratching the back of his head. He could hear the distant sounds of students below them as silence filled the space between them. It wasn’t a distant silence, no, it was as if they had their own little bubble. And as Yui began to speak, the sounds of the outside world faded behind her words.

“Ever since last week,” she began to confess. “Ever since we…I-I’ve been more jittery.”

“Jittery?”

“My palm…”

“What about-”

“There’s a tingling feeling that doesn't go away and……it’s made me want more.”

“More? We already do it every few days though…”

“I don’t want to ask cause it’s embarrassing!” she said, aware of the surprise in his tone. “But you know I only ever call you here, that we only meet by the stairs to the roof, if I really need it…”

He could feel the honestly in her voice, his heart felt like it was beating hundreds of times a minute.

“…so even if I’ve been wanting it more, I don’t ask……I don’t want to be greedy.”

He knew what she was talking about. As she talked, a warm sensation climbed up into his right hand, spreading throughout the tips of his fingers.

He closed his eyes.

For someone like Yui, who’d need it at least once a week, once every few days at most, to be asking for more…

“Then let me do it.”

“D-Do what?”

“Ask.” he said, taking a deep breath, “Yui, can I pat your head?”

Silence rang in his ears, causing the sound of his beating heart to become that much stronger—

“pfu….pfheheheh”

—until giggling radiated inside the bubble around them.

“On one condition,” she said, keeping him in place at seeing him try to turn around. “Close your eyes.”

“First turning around, now closing my eyes,” he said in a defeated sigh. “Why are you so insistent?”

“It’s embarrassing for you to see my face this red.”

His racing heart seemed to have tripped, skipping a few beats before resuming.

“Alright.” he nodded, “I’ll keep my eyes closed.”

“Really?”

“Want me to promise?”

He heard a faint laugh escape her lips. True to his word, he slowly turned around with eyes gently closed, until he felt her shadow in front of him.

“I can’t see so…you need to guide my hand,” he said, stretching out his limb.

“Ara~? Yuu, most guys would use this as an opportunity to do some very lewd things to a poor, unsuspecting maiden you know.”

“I’d rather not have one of my fingers broken.”

With a giggle, he could feel a small hand gently wrap around his wrist. The trembling of the hand holding him became more pronounced as his arm moved further and further away, eventually settling on an incredibly smooth, opulent, and messy set of hair.

She slowly let go, and he could hear her gasp as he gently began rubbing his palm and fingers back and forth through her hair. The outer layer was so silky that his hands caressed every strand with ease, but even when he closed his palm to pressure his fingers into the deepest parts of the hair, he could feel the inner layer was just as smooth. In fact, it might’ve been even more plush.

“A-aAh-Ahh~”

“Yui?”

“I’m okay,” she quickly reassured.

Yuuko took a deep breath as he continued. “I never apologized for doing this by the way. It’s my fault you’re—”

“Don’t apologize,” she touted with surprising force. It wasn’t angry, no……more like… “Only apologize when you do a bad thing.”

“But it’s my fault you need this in the first place.”

“It is,” she agreed. “But that doesn't mean you need to apologize…because this isn’t something bad…”

A small breath escaped his lips. Even with his eyes closed, he could tell that the look she was giving him was one in which she knew she was right.

“I just never thought it would affect you this way.”

“I’m not complaining.”

“Yui I—”

“Open your eyes.”

“Huh?”

“It’s rude to make a girl repeat herself Yuu…”

He was amazed at the fact he could picture her expression even in the dark his eyes were covered in. A small whimper reached his ears as he put his hand back to his side, and his eyes fluttered open; maybe it was the sun shining through the window, or the bright metal of the hallways reflecting its rays, but he opened his eyes to someone that brought back the warm feeling in his right hand.

Even through the anxious, yet strong eyes she held, he found it hard to believe someone could look like she did. Thankfully, he didn’t need to say a word.

“You opened them, and saw me, right?”

He nodded, sensing she wasn’t finished.

“Then I don’t mind. Even if everyone in the world gives you a gift, even if you get a hundred confessions, even if you aren’t looking for anyone right now…” small tears formed at the edges of her turquoise eyes— but not of sadness. “Even if all that happens, so long as you don’t look at anyone else, so long as I’m the only one…that’s enough for me.”

The breath that caught in his throat had long since disappeared, but he still didn’t have any words. What could he say to something like that?

And just as he asked himself that question, the answer shot to the front of his mind— what he’d always said.

“If I don’t look at anyone else, how am I going to make their notes in my journal?” with a hand on his side, he said that with a soft smile, which grew ever so slightly at the way she gently hit his chest with balled hands.

“Don’t bully an innocent maiden that just said something serious to you!” she said, relentlessly attacking.

“I’m not.” Catching one of her hands, he could see her blush hadn’t yet vanished, just like his own. “I already promised you, remember?”

“…I do.”

He felt her nails gently glide across his skin— it was so natural, it somehow felt like Yui.

“Give me a break though,” she said, puffing up one side of her cheek. “Even I can get jealous, you know.”

“It kind of looks cute on you.”

She puffed up her cheeks even more.

*ding* *ding**dong* *dong*

“Already?” Yuuko said in surprise. “Has that much time already passed?”

Her arm slowly fell out of her grip as she smiled wide at him.

“It has.”

He didn’t get a chance to say goodbye before she swept up her things and fled towards the stairs at the end of the hall. And before she could disappear from his sight, she stopped, hugging her supplies close to her chest as a small palm protruded from the messily gathered necessities.

“See you later.” she barely waved before flying down the stairs, into the schedule of their daily lives once more.

He stood still for a time, aware that every passing minute made him more likely to be late, but it didn’t matter to him as much as what she did.

What she said.

“She must’ve been really embarrassed if she left that fast—” He put a hand to his cheek, feeling the blood slowly recede, but not enough that his face wasn’t still warm. “—said the pot to the kettle.”

The bell sounded throughout the halls once more, signalling his tardiness. With a sigh, he put away his uneaten lunch and gathered his bag before reaching for the square box.

“Huh?”

His body reacted with confusion at not finding the distinctive gift where he left it, but it was only a moment later when the edges of his eyes caught a lid flipped open on the floor, the ribbon in tangles as a crumpled piece of paper lay beside it.

“Yui…she must’ve not noticed she kicked it open in her rush,” he said, collecting the box and lid. “Well, it’s my fault she was in a rush, so—”

Empty. A part of him expected to see the new present she’d gotten him, kicked out into the open because of carelessness, but the inside of the box was empty aside from soft velvet coating the inside of the container.

Narrowing his eyes, he reached for the paper that lay beside it. It was horribly wrinkled, and a small piece at the top was cut, though the sheet itself was surprisingly clean. Part of him realized this was something to be read at a later time, but curiosity got the better of him as his eyes began at the top of the page, widening more and more the further down they went.

The lid in his hands fell with an audible *thud* resounding through the hall much louder than it should’ve.

“Ai, why would you…?” he whispered to the air, reading and re-reading the note to make sure he wasn’t misunderstanding. Standing up, he rushed towards the window, barely making out the details of the city itself.

“Ai,” he no longer whispered. “Weren’t you only…returning the favor?”

Part 5

She stood above the ethereal water, the light from the flowing river causing her reflection to ripple and sway— but she didn’t need to see herself. She already had.

The only difference was that the girl behind the glass was now behind the water.

“This is a nice place, it’s peaceful.”

The words behind her came suddenly, but it was the familiar voice that made her heart start beating faster.

“And so that’s our first order of business,” she pivoted on one foot, practically jumping in front of the boy who’d just walked down the hidden concrete steps. “This place has to be a secret; that means no-one-has-to-know~!”

She poked his chest after every word, pushing a little further each time. She liked feeling the way his muscles tensed after each touch.

“……!…”

“Ai?”

“It’s nothing.” she said, quickly stepping backwards. With a quick sway of her head, her mind became clear again. “Anyway, I know it’s a school night, so while I’m happy you came……part of me can’t help but wonder why~” her last few words became glazed in a sultry tone, pushing for a reaction.

And to her shock, she didn’t receive one.

“I’m wondering the same thing.” he said as though he were speaking with a friend about some mundane topic. “Your note only mentioned meeting here a quarter past nine. Did you want to talk about something?”

She almost couldn’t believe it; yet the smile on her face betrayed the fact that what she was hearing was absolutely reality.

The nerves in the palm of her hand tickled.

“I did.”

She circled on her heels, walking back towards the shade offered in the middle of the bridge. The glowing water lit the area around them, and while it had her full attention, she could also make out the sounds of the boy’s footsteps coming closer.

“Say, Yuuko…”

The night air became still, as if just for Ai, it would quiet the sounds of the world. With both arms behind her back, she tilted her head and body backwards to meet his eyes.

“Would you like to be my boyfriend?”