The day after the storm is tense. Something seems to have happened with the idiot trio. Again. The idiot trio, that is, according to Ruri-Chitoge, Raku, and Kosaki. Kosaki as usual, is bumbling her way through it, making a mess (she loves that girl, she really does, she is her best friend, but she really wishes Kosaki would just grow a spine!), Chitoge is snappier than usual, which is saying a lot because when it comes to Raku, Chitoge is always snappy. And Raku… Raku has always been just clueless.

And really, more than anything, more than being frustrated watching them fumble through, stutter and blush at each other, she is frustrated with herself. Because at least, they have the guts to confront their feelings. (She isn't exactly sure how or what Raku is doing but he is trying and that is more than what she is doing so she can't complain about them) Because she, on the other hand, has not looked him in the eye since she realized she liked him, and she knows he knows that she is ignoring him, because it is Maiko Shuu. And he is way too perceptive for his own good.

Yet, she can't seem to muster even the semblance of being normal around him. She. She, who has perfected the art of the deadpan face. Ruri Miyamoto. Can't stand to look at that turkey. Because she is scared, she will blush or do something equally stupid. And that will be the end of her reputation as the hard ass chick. No one will take her seriously after she goes and falls in love with the same guy whom she has chastised for years for his perverted behavior. That same guy whom she-

"Easy there, tiger," Shuu kneels next to her and gently takes the potted plant from her hand, "That plant is half dead as it is."

Ruri curses her luck (think of the devil), averts her eyes, then wills herself not to do anything stupid and looks at him again. The tone of his statement is playful but he has an uncharacteristically concerned look in his eye, no trace of his usual impish grin which makes her feel worse and does nothing for her growing attraction. Instead, she changes the topic to his knowing gleam.

"What do you think happened to them?" she jerks her head towards where Kosaki is profusely apologizing for dropping some potting mud.

"Raku doesn't know anything…"

"When does he ever?"

"… or if he does he hasn't told me anything."

"My guess is that one of them confessed."

To which he doesn't say anything, just stares at her, silently daring, she feels. But she, for once, doesn't take the challenge, just asks, "What?"

He focuses all his attention on adding manure to the new plant, "Are we going to discuss you ignoring me or just pretend nothing happened?"

She is a tsundere. At least, that is what the archetype tests say and she really wishes something would change the situation so she bursts out, "I don't like you or anything, b-baka."

And there are many things she imagines he would do or say in this situation, but he laughs and Shuu's laugh is warm and comforting so she is glad she said it.

"Well, maybe a little." And Ruri doesn't know where that came from but it wasn't part of her plan and judging from the way he has stopped laughing it wasn't part of his plan either.

"Uh huh."

She hates the relief she gets when she sees the smug look on his face, maybe she didn't ruin it. She hates his smugness too, and she just wants to shock him, she tells herself later, just shock him. It has nothing to do with the meteor shower the night before and how he called to check on whether she was at home, safe, or how she sometimes felt jealous of what Chitoge and Kosaki had. Love. Nothing to do with that. Just some shock.

So she blurts out in one breath, "I love you."

"I know."

She didn't think it possible but his grin is smugger and maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. But when she looks up at him, his eyes are smiling, relieved, as if he is glad she likes him.

So she stares at him till he kisses her cheek.

"My hands are dirty," he tells her, by way of explanation, holding out his hands for inspection.

"So are mine."

And she really doesn't care that their friends are staring at them and she is probably doing one of those stupid things she doesn't want to do, blushing, that is, she just ignores everything and goes ahead and kisses him.

A/N: For Caesar Palace's Challenges by the Dozen and Lamia's Your OTP and That Epic Unsexy Star Wars Dialogue Contest.