Hikari's head had never seen as red as it had that day. She could feel people looking at her with the strangest looks on their faces, not understanding why she was almost steaming. But she understood. And Kei too.
Kei had asked Hikari if she was free next Saturday, which she was. With a somewhat confused look she'd replied to his question, and then the next question had come.
"Then would you like to go out with me Saturday?"
She hadn't been able to prevent herself from looking extremely shocked. She'd shouted loudly at his question and almost exploded. She'd been on a date with him before, but then it had meant nothing. The second time it would.
So there the couple was, walking on the street and holding hands. That was why Hikari couldn't stop her head from being red. Kei had the unfortunate ability to make her insanely nervous, and taking her hand made her more nervous than preparing for the date itself – her parents had turned down almost every outfit she'd showed them, telling her they were too ugly or cheap-looking.
"What's wrong, Miss Rank Two?" Kei suddenly asked, sounding somewhat amused. "Is me holding your hand making you nervous?"
Hikari's nerves were gone in an instant, and a frown automatically appeared on her face.
"Don't call me Rank Two!" she shouted loudly, lifting her arms in the air and so, also one of Kei's arms.
Kei laughed at her usual outburst, which made her lower her arms and look even angrier at him. She clinged her hands together fiercly without realizing she'd begun hurting her date. Though Kei could bear some pain he seemed unable to bear the one Hikari was giving him. He held in a groan and frowned lightly.
"Huh? What's wrong, Kei? Are you hurt?"
"No." Kei replied. "But I would appreciate it if you'd stop holding my hand so tightly." A mischievous smile crawled on his lips. "Unless you like holding me this tightly."
Hikari slowly looked down at their hands and, seeing that she was holding his tightly – a little too tightly she found – her eyes widened, just as her mouth. Within a second she'd let go of him and in no time she'd run away from him, backwards, to bump against a tree. Of course she was making her known sound while it all happened.
Because the athletic girl had bumped into the tree somewhat hard, a few apples fell from it on her head. She lowered her head and tried to cover it with her arms, those apples hurt. After the apples had fallen onto the ground Hikari lifted her head again, her eyes painfully closed while rubbing over her head.
"What hard apples." she said silently to herself.
"Are you okay?"
She looked up at the sound of the voice and before she knew it she was pulled into a hug. Her face was pressed against a chest and a vest she meant to know, and as she felt a hand on the back of her head and another one on her back she slowly widened her eyes.
"My poor Hikari." Her eyes widened even more when she realized it was Kei. "If you don't feel well we can go home. I'll take care of you then."
Hikari's head was red almost instantly, and as fast as she could she pushed herself off him. Once standing against the tree again – and feeling lucky for not being hit by a few more apples – she wildly pointed at Kei.
"W-What the heck's wrong with you?! Why are you talking to me like that?!"
"Like how?" Kei asked innocently. "I just want to take care of you."
"D-Don't be so nice to me!" Hikari yelled. "Call me Miss Rank Two again, now! Tease me!"
"But Hikari..."
Her rival was coming closer with his arms open, ready to pull her into another hug. Her reaction was holding her arms with wide open hands in front of her and moving them up and down very quickly.
"Stay away from me! Who are you?! What did you do to Kei?!"
She was looking away scaredly when Kei started laughing once again. Carefully she turned her face to him, and seeing him laughing like he laughed when he was messing with him made her angry again.
"Kei!" she shouted angrily, moving her fist toward his face.
Before she was able to get near it decently his hand caught her fist easily. As always, she looked up with a slightly surprised expression on her face. He smiled at her before he kindly forced her to open her hand with his own. Once her hand was open he entwined their fingers slowly but certainly.
Hikari's surprised look grew more surprised, a small blush crawling on her cheeks.
"Kei..."
"Hikari..." Kei looked lovingly at his girlfriend. "I love you."
Hikari shocked fiercly before she began yelling again, steam escaping from her eyes and her head once again growing red.
"Don't tell me you love me!"
She knew everyone near them was looking at them, especially her probably, but she didn't care. No matter how much she liked him, she still hated it when he was being nice. Extremely nice even. Didn't he understand she was too much in love with him to be able to bear such things?
As far as she knew this date was going to be the longest date she'd ever had.