"Hey, how are you doing?" Yasuhara asked Mai as he sat down beside her at one of the large study tables.

He smiled easily and leant forwards so that he was a little too close to Mai for Oliver's liking. Not that what Yasuhara was doing was any of his business, of course. It wasn't like Oliver was watching them from two tables away. No. He was doing his maths homework.

"Hey, yeah I'm okay," Mai replied. "Wish the weather was a little better though."

It wasn't like Oliver was trying to listen in. But Mai happened to speak a little louder than the average person. Even if they were in the school library.

"Yeah, it sucks. I don't think I've ever seen the library so full at lunchtime." Yasuhara laughed. "Your hair looks nice; you got it cut, right?"

He reached up and curled a bit of the hair framing her face between his fingers.

"Uh, yeah," Mai said. Her cheeks reddened a little. "I didn't think anyone had noticed." She shrugged and looked away. "But it's almost summer, so I thought getting it cut shorter would be better, you know? I don't want to overheat… At least," she took another glance out of the rain-streaked window, "it was supposed to be almost summer."

"That's smart," Yasuhara said, releasing Mai's hair and ruffling his own. "I ought to get my hair cut soon too. Don't want a hot head during exams."

Mai beamed at Yasuhara's use of the word 'smart'.

So easily pleased, Oliver thought. He looked down at his work and relaxed the grip on his pencil.

"Aww, but your hair is really soft."

Oliver's head snapped up to see Mai running her hand through Yasuhara's hair.

"Oliver?"

"It's not that soft," Yasuhara objected. "Not as soft as yours."

"I've been using this new shampoo," Mai said as she retracted her hand. "You should try it. It helps with tangles as well, not that you have much issue with that."

"Oliver?"

"No, not really," Yasuhara said. "I do comb it sometimes though."

"That's more than most boys I suppose," Mai said with a laugh.

"Noll?"

A sharp jab in his side caught Oliver's attention.

"What?" he spat at his brother.

"I've been trying to get your attention for, like, a minute," Gene complained.

"So?" Oliver returned his gaze to Yasuhara and Mai. "I'm busy."

"You're glaring at them and being creepily quiet."

"Nobody plans a murder out loud," Oliver muttered.

Gene rolled his eyes.

"Why are you going to murder them? Because they're being loud? I'm sure the librarian will tell—"

"Not them, just him," Oliver corrected.

"Why?"

"Because he's bothering Mai."

Gene appraised the situation.

"I mean, she looks like she's enjoying his company."

A low guttural noise escaped Oliver's throat.

"She's masking," he muttered. "Lots of girls do it so they don't upset men that might turn violent."

Gene bit back his laughter.

"Yeah, because Yasuhara is definitely the violent type."

"He might be for all she knows," Oliver said. "Lots of people thought our father wasn't…"

This thought sobered Gene, but he powered on.

"I… I don't think she would have asked him to tutor her if she wasn't comfortable with him."

Oliver's head spun around to fix his brother with a penetrating stare.

"She asked him to tutor her?"

"Yes?"

"How do you know that?" Oliver demanded.

"She told me? We're friends? Well, we talk sometimes. That's kind of friends, I guess," Gene said with a shrug. "Either way, I don't think he's bothering her."

"He doesn't need to touch her so much if they're supposed to be studying."

"Just because you don't like people touching you doesn't mean everyone else hates it," Gene pointed out.

Oliver scowled.

"It's common courtesy not to go around grabbing people's hair and invading people's personal space."

"It's also common courtesy not to stick your nose into other people's business." Gene shrugged once again. "You're awfully interested in making sure Mai, of all people, is comfortable. I mean, she's just a random Year Eleven, right? She doesn't mean any more to you than that, right?"

"Right," Oliver stated.

Unseen by his brother, Gene smirked.

"Good, because between you and me, I think Yasuhara is interested in Mai, you know? I think he fancies her."

"That's great."

"I think they'd make such a cute couple, don't you?" Gene asked, trying to suppress his smile. "They get along so well. He's smart and funny and handsome. She's cute and friendly and—"

"Could do better."

"Huh?"

"She could do better than him."

"How? He's top of his year and—"

"She just could," Oliver stated.

"I can't think of anyone better. Besides, he looks great in a suit, and her Year Eleven prom is coming up so I'll bet she'll want a date. You've spoken to her a bit, right? Do you know if she's friendly with any other guys? Other than me and Yasuhara of course. I'd hate for her to end up going alone. I think she knows John but other than—"

"Yes, I have spoken with her. On several occasions. She never mentioned other boys. She certainly did not mention him or you."

"Really? That's odd, given how friendly they are. Maybe it just didn't come up. I suppose she's not that close with you."

Oliver's gaze and shoulders dropped. He looked down at his work and scribbled a few more lines of arithmetic. Unseen by his brother, Gene bit his lip. He narrowed his eyes at Oliver and tentatively went on.

"I might suggest to Yasuhara that he asks her; what do you think?"

"Do what you want," Oliver muttered. "I don't care."

"You seemed very interested in her affairs a minute a—"

"Yes, when I was concerned that she was uncomfortable but as you've assured me that they're close and that there is no issue that he's touching her far more than necessary, I no longer care."

"Are you okay? You sound a bit tense?"

"I'm fine."

Gene fell silent and focused on his own book for a few minutes.

"If he doesn't ask her, I might," Gene said. "I think it'd be a fun evening. Our prom was fun, wasn't it?"

"No."

Gene laughed.

"What do you think? Should I ask her if—"

"You seem very interested in her affairs. Are you sure that you don't fancy her?"

Gene laughed again.

"Me? Fancy her? I don't think so—"

"Why not? What's wrong with her?" Oliver asked. "You couldn't do much better."

"I would pref—"

"Shut up," Oliver hissed. "You would be lucky to have someone half as nice as she is and you know it."

Gene smirked.

"You think very highly of her, don't you?" He cocked his head to one side. "Are you sure that you don't fancy her?"

Oliver opened his mouth to argue, but no words escaped. So he shoved his belongings into his backpack, stood up and walked away from his brother.

The only way out of the library was to pass by Mai and Yasuhara's table. He picked up a few words of their conversation as he walked by.

"...got anyone to go to prom with yet?"

Oliver's pace quickened. He made it to the door. He paused, hand hovering over the door handle. His blood pounded in his ears. He turned and stepped towards Mai and Yasuhara. He stopped himself. He turned back towards the door.

He had to make a decision. He had to do something now. He had to—

And then he was standing beside Mai and Yasuhara.

"Oliver?" Mai looked up at him, eyes full of concern. "Are you okay?"

"I need to speak to you."

"Okay? Right now?"

Oliver nodded.

"In private," he added stiffly.

Mai turned back to Yasuhara.

"Excuse me, I'll be back in a minute."

"No problem, I'll be right here when you get back," he said, smiling.

Oliver led the way out of the library and into one of the private study rooms where they would not be interrupted.

"So what's the problem?" Mai asked.

"Go out with me."

Mai's eyes widened.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Yes, I did," she said, folding her arms across her chest. "But I believe it's customary for you to ask, rather than demand."

"You can refuse a demand if you want," Oliver stated. "Either you want to date me or you don't. I don't care either way."

"You don't care?"

Oliver swallowed.

"No."

"So you demanded I date you without care for whether it happened or not?" Mai did not give Oliver a chance to reply. "You know, perhaps if you had asked me nicely, I might have said 'yes'. But given the way this conversation went, I don't think I want to. Yasuhara asked me if I wanted a date for prom and I think I migh—"

"Not him."

"What?"

"You can't date him."

"I can't? What? You're not allowing me to? Who do you think you are to—"

"He doesn't deserve you."

"What? And you do?" Mai asked, her brows furrowed and voice raised. "You think the best I deserve is someone with no manners? At least Yasuhara is polite!"

"Polite? He kept touching you! Without consent and it's entirely inappropriate at school."

"He's my friend!" Mai objected. "It's fine if he…" Her voice faltered. "Oh my… You're jealous, aren't you?" she accused.

Oliver scoffed.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Ridiculous? And what is ridiculous about being interested in me to the point where someone else interacting with me makes you jealous?"

"I'm not jealous," Oliver stated and looked away.

"You're…" Mai shook her head in disappointment. "Forget it."

She turned and made to leave the room.

"Are you rejecting me?"

"It's hard to reject a question that was never asked," she said over her shoulder. "But your own feelings are hardly forthcoming or encouraging. You don't care, remember?"

Oliver pinched his brow and took a deep breath.

"Mai. I… Gene kept… He kept saying things. I couldn't think straight. I—"

"So what? You decided to be rude and insult me?" Mai asked, spinning around and refolding her arms over her chest.

"It was not my intention to do either of those things."

Mai raised an eyebrow at Oliver and there was a moment of silence. She sighed.

"What was Gene saying?" she asked.

Oliver frowned, but answered the question.

"He was pointing out how friendly Yasuhara was with you and how close you were and questioning my reactions and…" He scowled and looked away as he realised. "He was trying to wind me up."

"And you walked straight into the trap…" Mai looked down at her feet. "So Yasuhara asks if he can come and study with me—"

"He asked you?"

"Yes?"

"Gene told me you asked him to tutor you…"

"So," Mai resumed. "Yasuhara asks if he can come and study with me in the library where he knows you'll be and Gene comes and finds you and winds you up…"

"They were in it together," Oliver surmised.

"You look like you want to swear at them."

"No comment."

Mai laughed.

"Well, I reckon we should have some fun with them," she said. "I think I might go back in and tell them exactly how badly you screwed this up…"

Oliver nodded slowly as he absorbed this information and spoke his affirmation without much thought for the words escaping his mouth.

"Okay."

"What I won't tell them is that if you want to try asking me out again sometime, I might be more receptive. Especially if it's a question and not a demand," she deadpanned.

"You'll give me a second chance?"

"Yes," she said. "I believe in second chances. And I don't think you're a bad person. I also plan on getting my own back on Gene and Yasuhara..."

"You do?"

"Yes. Like I said, I'll go back into the library, tell Yasuhara how you fucked up and then be extra friendly with him."

"How is that…?"

"I do not fancy Yasuhara," Mai said, beginning to smirk. "But your brother does."

Oliver frowned.

"Really?"

"Yes, didn't you know?"

Oliver shook his head.

"No, I didn't. Though that would explain a few things… So you will play along with their wind up to make things awkward for them," he surmised.

"Exactly," Mai said.

A slow smile spread over Oliver's face.

"If you'd like to tell me about how it goes, I know a tea shop not too far from the school."

Mai beamed.

"I'll meet you at the school gates after classes end then."

Oliver nodded, and they parted ways.

Author's note: So I have ideas for a sequel, but I'm only going to write it if this gets enough interest... So please review!