'Gals' like Her.

There were two questions he always expected, during interviews. Two questions they always asked, because it was those questions readers want to know the answer to the most, and while the answers were always the same, there are, of course, those who hope and wish that those answers would change.

Question 1: The kind of girls he likes

Inevitable Answer: "No preference."

Question 2: The kind of girls he doesn't like.

Inevitable Answer: "Gals like her." (Kotobuki Ran)

Variations: "I'm not really into the gal type" / "I generally don't like gals."

And it's true.

Most gals tended to be loud, fashion-crazy, and cared more about their looks, than their studies (Kotobuki Ran being a very good example). They were shallow, heavily made-up creatures whose lives only revolved around boys and looking good.

And this is where she was different.

While she was obsessive about fashion, she didn't have emotional relationships with guys. She went on dates to have fun, and cop a free meal (that girl was so mercenary, sometimes), and all her previous relationships were always GP (general patronage. kid-safe. no funny stuff). And she really cared about people.

And she always, always did what was right. And she wasn't afraid to fight for it either.

And granted, the conversation might never be stimulating intellectually, it was amusing and always interesting...because she, as a person, was interesting. With Kotobuki Ran, there was never a dull moment.

This wasn't always a good thing.

Sometimes it got them in trouble. He sometimes found this tiring, but it was okay, every now and then, too. So he doesn't really mind it...much. It sometimes got irritating. It was sometimes interesting. It was mostly fun, and it always always, disrupted his schedule (and despite his protests, he would cancel whatever plans he had, eventually), but he just lets things happen.

He lets her happen to him. Her, and her friends, and the trouble that was sure to come.

So, once another interview comes along, and he is asked the same inevitable questions, he gives the same answers.

Because it is true.

He can't really say if he has an opinion about Ran's positive qualities. He's not quite sure it's what he likes about her. In any case, it wasn't something he mulled over, and while he did like her, it wasn't the main focus of his life, but merely an incidental fact.

And he honestly doesn't like gals like her.

He doesn't like most gals, at all.

But she isn't most gals. She's The World's Greatest Gal. (Though, this is definitely NOT what he likes about her, at all, and is actually a cause of his dismay.)

He doesn't like gals like her...because there were no other gals who could be her (and even if there were, it would still remind him of her, which would probably annoy him).

No. He liked Kotobuki Ran...the person.

Though he certainly isn't happy about it.