"You're a prude," Taichi-san said to me bluntly, looking up from his soccer magazine.

I felt my ears turn slightly pink. Even though there was absolutely no chance that I would be able to support the statement, my inner man replied, "No I'm not."

My eyes remained fixed on my computer, but I knew my friend was smirking. "That is the biggest piece of bullshit I have ever heard. Who could you have possibly kissed?"

Yeah. Good question. "There's this girl in my apartment building."

"When did you kiss her?"

"A few months ago."

"And I never heard about it?"

"I don't like telling people these things."

I still hadn't looked at him yet.

"What's her name?"

"Mai." It was the name of the girl who sat next to me in history class.

"You guys going out?"

"No..."

"Why not?"

"Because."

Izumi Koushirou, you're pathetic.

Silence.

"You're a really bad liar."

My ears were pink again. Why was I so afraid to admit such an unimportant fact?

"It's nothing to be ashamed about, Koushirou."

"You're making it sound like it is," I replied coldly. "You said it like you were accusing me of it. What is there to accuse?"

I had a feeling that he was smirking again. "So you admit it."

"Fine. Yeah, I admit it. So what?"

"That needs to change."

I finally whirl my computer chair to face him and cross my arms. "And why should this be on my list of priorities?"

"You might as well. It's something you can accomplish quickly."

I sighed. Taichi-san, Taichi-san, Taichi-san. "I'm not just going to have my first kiss with anyone, you know. I'd like to share it with someone I really care about."

Taichi-san was sitting on the edge of my bed. He stood up and replied, "I know. Which is why you'll be able to accomplish it quickly."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Taichi-san, I don't under-"

I was cut-off as he bent down and placed a kiss – my very first kiss – right on my lips, aligning his lips together with mine perfectly. I sat there in shock as he brought his hand behind my neck and pushed me in closer, kissing me deeper. I was petrified; I didn't know what to do. I simply sat there like I was paralyzed as he kissed me, parting my mouth with his tongue and darting inside to touch mine, but only for a brief second. When I finally came to my senses, it was too late; he had pulled away and was giving me that same smirk.

I simply looked at him, eyes wide, my fingers lightly on my lips. How did he know?

He gave me a satisfied look and stated, "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

He sat back down on my bed again and picked up his magazine, beginning to scan through it as though nothing unusual had happened. My fingers still on my lips, I tuned back to my computer screen. His kiss was still shaking me; I could still feel it tingling on my lips, my mouth, my tongue. It was like nothing I'd ever experienced.

So this is why it was so important.