Ichinose Kazuya and Kino Aki decided to go home together from school today. Where's Domon-kun, you asked? This author of yours will tell you lovely readers later. Or not.

The sun was setting, giving the sky and the surroundings an incredible combination red, orange and yellow. They had been talking about the whole day's events - funny ones, bad ones, stressful ones, amazing ones - and, just for the heck of it, Ichinose thought of going home together HAND IN HAND. It was nothing romantic, really ("No romantic implication; just for fun!" said he, and Aki agreed)... at least that's what they convince themselves.

After they've held hands, both went silent. Both went silent for a long time. Why? Both were thinking and arguing to their inner selves that there is no romantic implication to their holding of each other's hands.

Of the two of them, it's pretty obvious who's having a tougher fight with their inner selves: Ichinose-kun. D-did I mention that he told Domon that he'll have to go home early so they can't hang out for today and quickly asked Aki-chan if they can go home together, to which she happily agreed to. There, I said it. It was a simple plan - maybe a cheesy, cliche one XD - but he really just wanted to spend some more time together. ALONE.

He just wanted to be more close to AKi-chan again, like when they were still young children. He felt that in his whole time he's been 'dead', he lost all connections to her whatsoever. And now, he's just making up for lost time and arguing to himself that there's NOTHING ROMANTIC IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING whatsoever.

It was when they were halfway to Aki's house when a group of ladies, in their early 30's, passed them. One said to the rest of the group, "Aww, don't they look cute together! Such a really good looking couple! I remember that time when I was still their age and with my boyfriend then..." and sighed dreamily.

The group of ladies were now far away but were still giggling. Kazuya's and Aki's reactions? Blushing madly that they looked like tomatoes. Ichinose almost wanted to let go of Aki's hand, fearing that maybe she'd do it first, when Aki told him, "Don't mind them, Ichinose-kun. That's just what they think about us. You did say it yourself: this is nothing romantic, right?" and smiled at him.

'That's just what they think about us...' that line ringed in Ichinose-kun's mind. '... What if that's also the way I think about us?'

"Heheheheh, you-you're right, Aki." and they continued to walk.

-Ichinose-Aki- Weeeeee-

"Thank you so much for walking me home, Ichinose-kun." Aki held his hand with both if hers and smiled widely at him. It was a good thing that her eyes were closed, because our dear Ichinose-kun is blushing! If Domon was here to see this, - Ha! - this is two minths worth of teasing and bribery!

"Let's do this again sometime, okay?" said Aki.

"Do what again? Me walking you home, or holding hands while walking?" [AN: Anyone aware of that abbreviation? HHWW? XD] asked Ichinose without even thinking about it. He blushed.

"Both! Well, see you later!" Aki ran to the house's door, opened it went in, and disappeared. Ichinose is left frozen outside her house, blushing and thinking over their small conversation just now. He smiled and walked home, feeling very accomplished.

Fin.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed reading it! I hope I also contributed to the IchinosexAki fanfics here in . w