This is based off a 4 page doujinshi by Zashiki Usagi. (Thanks for telling me, Rhette!) (:
"Len, I love you! When I'm alone with you, my heart chimes 'ring'!" she exclaimed, bringing a hand up to her heart and laughing joyfully. The way her angel voice rang out in the air to break the awkward silence that had been stretching between her and her childhood friend only made it seem like she was just saying it because she could. Rather, her words didn't seem to have any meaning behind them. She spoke them in a way that didn't seem serious; she was far too…relaxed.
The blonde boy sitting at her side frowned as she laughed as though she had only been telling a joke. A pinkish color had made its way to spread across his cheeks, his face warming up the more he thought about her words. Don't get so worked up! She's only being a goof like she normally is, he told himself inwardly, but he found it harder and harder to believe. Rin could easily just be fooling around, but she could've been very sincere, too. He knew that. She probably only meant that she loved him as a friend; he just liked to think that she thought of him as more than that.
Len bit down on his bottom lip as he narrowed his eyes at the ground. Rin, why do you have to be so cute and innocent?
He was snapped out of his thoughts when the petite girl at his side jabbed him in the shoulder with her finger. Len blinked a couple of times and turned to look at her, leaning back a few inches upon seeing her face so close to his. The light-hearted expression she had moments before had changed to a stern one.
"Len~?" she whined out. "Do you love me?" Rin seemed to be getting closer with each passing second, which only left her friend to lean farther away from her. "Please say that you do!"
Knowing he couldn't resist her desperate pout, Len lifted his hand to scratch the back of his head, sending a few strands of golden hair to fall from his tight ponytail. He was well aware that she could see the blush on his cheeks, but he narrowed his eyes and kept his voice as calm as he could. "...Sheesh, okay, then," he said coolly, as though it wasn't bothering him at all. "Lend me your ear…"
Rin's face brightened immediately and she turned, brushing a few locks of hair to hook it behind her ear to grant him access as she shouted an enthusiastic, "Okay!" A light blush started to tint her cheeks when she felt his breath tickle her skin.
His heart pounded faster and faster as he inched so much closer to the blonde girl. His mind kept repeating the words, I can't believe what I'm about to do! I can't believe what I'm about to do! Len placed one hand on her shoulder as his eyes fluttered closed, summoning all the tenderness in the world to use for kissing the innocent and fragile girl he loved. Sucking in a deep breath of air as quietly as he could, Len let his lips come in contact with her ear for a brief instant.
"Pyaa?!" Rin reacted immediately, cringing away from her friend as she clasped her hands together. Heat flooding to her face, Rin leaped up and shoved him away from her, bringing one hand up to cover the place where Len kissed her. "Y-y-y-you licked my ear?!"
Len could feel his face flaming as well as he waved his arms in a futile attempt to calm her down. "I kissed your ear!" he insisted frantically, adding under his breath, "Are you a pervert?"
The blonde girl sighed, her eyes reflecting a sense of hurt and betrayal as she whispered, "So…you weren't going to say that you love me?" She blinked as tears started to fill her dazzling blue eyes, eyes that had been glistening with happiness and excitement only moments before. Even the tall white bow above her head seemed to droop at her sudden depression.
The boy's eyes widened as he met her gaze. She had it all wrong! What he did was a way of showing his affection! He wanted so desperately to say something to her to clear it all up, but part of him didn't want to admit his feelings. Was she about to cry because of the kiss – or lick, as she thought – or was it because she thought he was some pervert who didn't care about her feelings? Len clenched his hands into fists, listening to Rin when she continued.
Her small voice shook as she asked, "Do you really not like me…?"
That was it. He couldn't stand to let her cry right in front of him. Len snatched her by her upper arm, growling, "That's not it."
Rin's only protest was a brief, "Wha…!?" before she found her face buried in Len's shirt, inhaling his familiar and welcoming scent. He ran his fingers through her short locks of golden-blonde hair, resting his hand on her head and making her press her ear against the area where his heart rested in his chest.
"Here. Listen," Len instructed firmly. He felt her trembling against him, but her breathing slowed down as she started to calm herself. Len let his chin rest against her head and allowed his fingers, which had been tightly gripping her arm to hold her there, to relax.
The breath hitched in Rin's throat. Len's heart is beating fast…
Len squeezed her arm again and shoved her back, much to Rin's surprise and disappointment. Startled, she looked up at him with wide eyes, her lips parted slightly. His gaze was set on hers, shining with determination, while his face flushed a red darker than she would've thought physically possible for a human being. The somewhat girlish voice that she recognized and loved filled her ears as he spoke to her, his words coming directly from the heart. Normally, she would've never expected him to be so open, but she found that she really, really liked hearing what he thought.
"Signals from my heart are more resounding than that little 'ring'. That's how much I like you…!" He stared at her with an unwavering gaze, waiting for a response. "Got it?" he prompted coldly, unsure as to whether or not he'd gotten his point across.
Rin's confused expression faded into a bright smile as she broke into laughter again. She leaped for him, slinging her arms around his neck and letting all her weight send him flying to the ground as she screeched out, "Len, I love you!"
Len's elbows were resting back against the seat of the park bench they had been sitting on, and he turned his head to keep Rin from being so close. The frown upon his lips was not one of disappointment; he just didn't want her to see him blushing so darkly while she sat in between his legs in the grass, her face buried in his neck as she hugged him tightly and let out a contented sigh.
Even Len says 'I like you' properly for me~! she sang in her mind, smiling against his neck.
I couldn't resist my impulse…
FIN~! :D You like?
Constructive criticism is encouraged, and reviews are greatly appreciated!
(:Mizune