"Oi, Yumoto." En suddenly broke the comfortable silence, causing everyone to look up.
Yumoto hummed in acknowledgement, not looking up from his origami.
"You haven't tried to hug Wombat today."
Atsushi looked up from his book. "Now that I think about it, you haven't tried to cuddle Wombat in about a week or so."
"That's...actually really weird. Hey, Yumoto, why?" Ryuu asked, cocking his head to the side.
"I've already got my daily cuddles." Yumoto didn't look up; he contently folded another paper swan.
The final bell rang. Yumoto stood suddenly, walking to the door. "See you guys tomorrow!"
"What? Where you you going?" Atsushi asked, fiddling with his glasses.
"I have a date!"
"Date!?" the rest of the Defense Club said in shock.
"With who?" Ryuu asked urgently.
Yumoto stopped in the doorway, then giggled and held a finger to his lips, a coy grin on his face. "It's a secret."
On the other side of the school, the Student Council was in the middle of discussing new rules for the student handbook.
The final bell rang. Kinshiro placed his papers onto the table and stood. "I will see you tomorrow."
"Eh? We're not walking together?" Akoya pushed a strand of hair behind his ear.
"I have...other business to attend to." Kinshiro cleared his throat.
"Other business?" Arima smiled, "President, do you have a date?"
"Don't be foolish." Kinshiro snapped, thankful that no one could see that he was blushing up to his ears.
"We're following him, right?" Akoya asked, smirking.
"Of course." Arima replied.
The Defense Club watched warily as Yumoto walked into his house, completely unaware of their presence.
"Who do you think it could be?" Atsushi whispered from his spot in the bush. "Someone we know?"
"And why hasn't he told us about any of this?" Io asked, standing behind a tree.
"Maybe it's a secret affair with a married woman?" Ryuu offered slyly.
"With Yumoto?" En said, "I don't buy it."
"Well, I don't buy that he's dating anyone." Ryuu huffed. "What are your ideas?"
"Maybe it's a more...unconventional person." En rubbed at his chin.
"Like what? A gravedigger?" Ryuu rolled his eyes.
"Maybe it's not Yumoto who wants to keep it a secret." Io said, "Maybe it's the other person who's embarrassed."
"Like a wealthy celebrity?" Ryuu said.
"Or maybe the other person is uncomfortable with their private lives being broadcasted to strangers." Atsushi muttered.
"What was that?" En said.
"Nothing-look! There he is!"
Yumoto left his house in a simple t-shirt and cargo pants.
"Obviously he's not going anywhere special." Io stated.
"Let's go!" Ryuu said, falling from the tree branch he was sitting on.
Arima and Akoya were much more stealthy in their stalking. They decided to use disguises. Arima wore a black wig; Akoya crossdressed.
"Why do I have to wear this wig?" Akoya whined.
"Your hair is too identifiable" Arima adjusted the leather jacket he wore, "Does my eyeliner look fine?"
"Yes, yes, what about mine?" Akoya pouted, "And if my hair looks bad after this I swear-"
"Shh, there he is."
"Stylish as usual; I expect nothing less." Akoya said smugly.
"Doesn't it look too...I don't know, unprofessional? Casual? Punk?" Arima said suspiciously.
Kinshiro wore a white v-neck with a black vest, ripped black skinny jeans, and combat boots.
"Where did he get that jewelry? Wait! Are those piercings?" Akoya gasped.
"His nails are painted black." Arima frowned, "Maybe it's not a date. Maybe he has a secret part-time job or something."
Along with the nails. Kinshiro wore a long leather necklace, matching bracelets, and piercings in his ears, one in his nose, and one in his eyebrow.
They followed Kinshiro to the mall. Suddenly, Kinshiro took a sharp turn into a crowded department store.
Yumoto cheerfully walked into the mall, which Ryuu had dubbed the date "hotspot".
"If it's such a public place, they wouldn't stand out much, right?" Atsushi pointed out.
"That crosses off older person or gravedigger." Io smirked.
"It's probably a cute girl. Girls love the mall." Ryuu sighed, "I still can't believe it."
Yumoto took a difficult-to-follow path, winding everywhere, completely erratic, backtracking, wild shortcuts. It was as if every shiny thing caught his eye.
Unfortunately, they lost him in a department store.
"Oh, sorry Miss." Atsushi apologized and helped the young woman pick up her things.
"I thought you flirted with everything that breathed, Ryuu." Io teased.
"Not my type." Ryuu stated simply, "Look at all that stuff. Way too high maintenance. Probably milk my wallet dry."
The woman glared from the corner of her eye. Her boyfriend walked arrived, carrying a crazy amount of bags.
He leaned down to give his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek, accidentally dropping another bag. Ryuu picked it up, handing it to the woman. She snatched it and huffed, strutting away.
"Rude." Ryuu frowned.
"Hey...didn't they look familiar?" En said.
"Since I'm here, I'm going to go shopping!" Ryuu said, giving a peace sign, "Let's go, Io!"
Akoya couldn't believe it! High maintenance? Perfection isn't cheap, you know. Why was the Defense Club even here? Where was the short one? Who cares. At least the glasses one was decent.
Arima arrived. Leaning down in a faux kiss, he whispered, "No sign of him."
Then another bag fell. Ryuu picked it up. How dare he, after what he said! Akoya glared and walked away, Arima following.
"Do we really need all this stuff?" Arima muttered.
"Of course! It would look suspicious if we left every store without something."
Arima rolled his eyes.
"Well, since we lost him, let's just make the best of these disguises while we're here!"
Arima groaned internally.
Kinshiro weaved through the aisles, trying to lose his fellow Council members. He snuck out of the department store, quickly walking to the meeting place they decided on. Suddenly, he was tugged into a secluded nook by an empty store.
Yumoto giggled. "They were following you too?"
Kinshiro nodded, "Lose them?"
"Of course!" Yumoto leaned up to give Kinshiro a quick peck on the lips. "Let's hurry up and get out of here before they find us."
"A movie?" Kinshiro asked, lacing his fingers with Yumoto's.
"Perfect."
The two walked in comfortable silence.
Then Yumoto asked, "Are you wearing the tongue piercing?"
"Hm? Yes." Kinshiro replied.
"Then it's settled." Yumoto smirked.
Kinshiro looked over, confused.
"We aren't going to be doing much 'watching' in the theater."
Kinshiro blushed madly.