At graduation time, the leaves blew softly in the trees, as everyone cheered for completion, and cried for partings. In the hallway, Sora closed the door to the art club's room. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. It's one of those things where you understand what's happening, but your heart can't grasp it. Suddenly, a boy walked over to her. It was Daichi Negishi.

"Negishi-kun…" she looked at him softly. His face went red as a red crayon. He bowed full-scale quickly.

"Please, Sora," he choked, "Will you please go out with me?"

"What…?!" Sora blushed. She had never… Realized that Negishi had these feelings for her.

"I really like you." He told her bravely, lifting his back up and looking the girl in the eye. She looked at him, her mind in a jumble. Negishi… Liked her…? Well, she wasn't afraid of him anymore, she liked talking to him, but… She still couldn't believe it. She put her eyes to her fumbling fingers.

"I-I…" she looked at him, still blushing like it was 150 degrees, "I'd like… To go out with you too."

"Seriously…?!" he smiled, "Thank you so much, Sora…!" he almost hugged her, but she flinched. He stopped himself, smiled and sighed, "You're so cute." He softly chuckled and patted her on the head. She blushed even more.

"Me?!" she thought to herself, "CUTE?!" This puzzled her, but it made her really happy.

"See you later, Sora!" Natsumi smiled and waved with Hazuki as Sora exited the gate.

"This is the last time I'll be here…" she thought to herself.

"Sora? Aren't you going home?" Negishi asked her, his bag over his shoulder.

"Yeah… Just looking at the school for a sec…" she laughed softly.

"Can I…" he blushed again, "Can I walk you home?" he asked. She hesitated, but then nodded.

"So…" Sora asked, "Where are you planning to go to college?"

"Dunno. Probably Takagawa Arts College. I really wanna become a mangaka." He smiled to himself, "What about you?"

"Same. Takagawa." She smiled sweetly at him.

"I guess we're stuck like glue, huh?"

"Y-Yeah…" she looked down to the ground, "Natsumi and Hazuki and everyone else are going other places. It's gonna be a little nerve-wrecking…"

"Sora…" he looked at her, and saw that tears were dripping from her beautiful brown eyes.

"H-Huh…? Why am I crying…? I thought I told myself not to cry…!" she tried to laugh.

"Sora, can I hug you…?" he asked softly, so gently, that it surprised her. Negishi was scary and loud sometimes… But really, he was very sweet. She nodded, and they both quickly embraced each other. Sora cried loudly, letting all of her tears go, and Negishi held his cheek to the top of her head, stroking her milky blue hair. Sora didn't know why, but… She felt very comfortable in his arms.

"Come on sis, wake up. Your boyfriend's here." Sora's little brother, Ao, shook his sleepy sibling. Sora thought for a second as she opened her eyes. Wait… They had parted at her house, and then they… Made a date for the next day!

"Oh no!!" she yelled for the first time in a long time, and Negishi felt his blood jolt within his body. He thought the coffee Sora's brother had served would EXPLODE. Sora quickly brushed her hair, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and put on the outfit she had coordinated the previous night. It was an aquamarine plaid skirt and a white sweater t-shirt, and to top it off, white Mary Jane shoes. She then took her hair and put it in a loose ponytail with a hair elastic, decorated with a plastic heart.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" she called as she ran down the stairs. Negishi looked up to see a beautiful girl in front of him.

"I-It's fine…" he blushed, "You… Look cute…"

"Thanks." She giggled.

"Yeah, yeah, can you guys get moving? I feel sick with all this love-love in the air." Her brother waved his hand.

"A-Ao!" Sora flustered.

"Let's go." Negishi said quickly and grabbed her hand. They kept walking in the cat-infested neighborhood, past the houses with wind chimes, and straight past the little Japanese cottage with the old woman sipping her tea, fragrant as the flowers in the trees above her head. Sora was so happy that she was walking the scenery with Negishi, that she forgot that she was in contact with him.

"Negishi…? Um… You can let go of my hand now…"

"O-Oh, sorry… I was just… Happy that your brother thought of us as a couple…" he flicked his eyes away from hers in embarrassment. She laughed louder than usual, "Wh-What…?!" he batted back at her. She wasn't afraid of his little attitude anymore. She knew he was covering up his true feelings.

"You're so cute." She giggled, and he smiled.

"CUTE is not something you tell a guy." He smirked and patted her on the head.

"By the way," she smiled, "Where are we going?"

"Oh, I thought the park would be a nice place to go…"

"Really?!" she asked in anticipation. Negishi must have known. The park was her favorite place! The cats all walking around, black and white, brown, black, white, white and black, brown and black, all sorts of colors graced their furs. There was plenty of nature everywhere for her to sketch.

"You brought it, didn't you? Your sketchbook." He smiled kindly at her. He was right. Sora brought her sketchbook wherever she went, no matter where it was.

"Mm-hm." She nodded.

"I brought mine too." He took it out of his messenger bag. It was an old tattered one, the one he had always drawn his monster sketches in.

"We think alike." She told him softly, and he agreed.

"Let's take the train there. We can grab some lunch to have there on the way."

"All right." She smiled and clasped his hand in hers, "Shall we go?" He looked at her for a moment, dumbstruck. Sora had touched HIM. He was extremely happy.

"Yeah," he gripped onto her hand, "Let's go." And they walked to the train station together.