The sun was shining, birds were chirping. Everyone was up and awake. All but Kuriko Akatsumi.

"Kuriko! Wake up!" Her mom yelled from downstairs but she knew her daughter could hear her. Kuriko cursed her mother before she closed her eyes again.

"Ken is waiting downstairs!"

Kuriko then shot up from her bed and got ready after she heard Ken's name. Her mother heard all the rumble upstairs through thin floors.

"Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do with that girl" Her mother mumbled.

"Well she is a teenager" the raven headed teen answered.

"I don't know how you put up with her Ken," she said shaking her head.

"I'm used to it" he said as he helped himself to a muffin.

Kuriko was deciding whether what top she would go with. After a few minutes of debate, she then decided to go with pink top that had frills with her blue jeans and pink converse. She then applied a bit of makeup that made her face shine.

'Perfect' she thought and headed downstairs, passing her sister's empty room who had left for college and lived in a dorm.

She immediately saw her mother and the teenage boy as she walked down the stairs. Once she saw the teenager she became elated and jumped on the boy from the steps.

"Ken!" She wrapped her arms around the boy's neck, making him carry her in the air a bit since she jumped off from higher ground.

"K-Kuriko..." Ken managed to mutter while blushing. Kuriko smirked after seeing his face. She was fully aware of his crush on her but she wanted him to make his move first though and would wait for him. He was wearing a black t-shirt with brown cargo pants and wore contacts instead of his glasses. It was quite obvious that Kuriko had made these changes since his previous clothes were much different and had wore glasses all the time. He no longer had the same skinny frame he had when he was younger. He had quite a bit of muscle on him after helping his old man lift the things he could no longer carry due to his old age. But he still had that meek face which made Kuriko smile.

"Hurry up and eat your breakfast" her mom scolded.

"Okay!" Kuriko said cheerfully and jumped down.

Ken was still blushing a bit while she quickly ate her breakfast. After she finished she said her goodbyes to her mom and left to go to school. Halfway to school Kuriko asked the same question she asked every time they passed the halfway point.

"Hey can you carry my bag for me?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"Again?"

"Yup!" She beamed a smile at him.

"You should do things like these yourself" he said as he took the bag from Kuriko.

'You say that but you do it anyway' she thought as she smiled to herself.

Once they got to school, they became the main topic of all gossip around them.

"Isn't he cute?"

"He totally is!"

"I can't believe he would be near that Kuriko" the girl sneered.

Kuriko heard them and couldn't help but feel angered. 'Weren't you the ones who were laughing at him in the beginning of the school year? '

"Look she is making him hold her bag"

"What a selfish brat"

'I heard that' Kuriko thought as she grew angrier.

She then turned to Ken who was oblivious to all the attention he was receiving.

"What is it?" Ken asked as he smiled at her. Once he smiled it felt like all her anger flew away.

"Nothing" she said as she smiled back, making him blush a bit.

He handed back her bag once she arrived at her locker.

"You have your test next period right?" He asked.

"Yea and I'm going to ace it thanks to your help!" She said as she fist pumped the air. He smiled.

"Good luck" he said and patted her head which surprised Kuriko a bit before walking off.

'Even he does things that make me blush' she thought as she rubbed the place where he patted her head. She her thoughts were interrupted by the bell and scurried off to her next class.
Class seemed to end in a short period of time and Kuriko raced to the front of the school where Ken waited. She passed by the rushing crowd that was filled with students. Kuriko soon saw Ken and was going to wave to get his attention but stopped shortly after seeing a girl next to him and heard a group of boys around her.

"Isn't that girl next to Ken one of the smartest girls at our school?"

"She's hot for a smarty"

"I heard she and Ken got scouted for an overseas science institute and will be going to the orientation this Saturday"

"Really? That's pretty amazing"

"Do you think I'll have a chance with her?"

"With your brains, no" the group of boys exploded in laughter. "Plus those two look good together" the group said, eying the couple.

After hearing enough of their chatter, she stomped her way to Ken.

"Ken!" Kuriko yelled out loud as she attacked him from behind.

"Wh-? Kuriko?" He said as he looked behind him. Kuriko shot a glare at the girl who was looking from Ken to Kuriko. She then dragged Ken off in the direction of home.

"Hey-! Kuriko! What are you doing? I was talking to her!" He said as he was trying to pry off her grip as she was walking. She soon let go and turned to face him.

"You're going to come over to my house this Saturday!" Kuriko waiting for his reply.

"Huh? Why?" Ken was baffled.

"Just because!"

"I can't this Saturday anyway" she knew it.

"I command you to come over this Saturday!" Kuriko said, losing all reason. She absolutely did not want Ken to go to that orientation.

"I told you that I can't" Ken said sighing. Kuriko bit her lip.

"Plus you were pretty rude to her when you made me leave. Why can't you think of others for once?" Ken said as he sighed once more. Kuriko had enough and threw her bag at Ken. Ken involuntarily blocked himself with his arm as he saw an object fly at his face.

"Ken you idiot!" She said as turned and ran home. Ken stood there dumbfounded.

Kuriko opened the door and slammed it behind her.

"Welcome home" Momoko said as she ate a spoonful of ice cream from the pint in her lap.

Kuriko ignored her and ran up the stairs to her room.

"Rude" Momoko scoffed as she continued watching the movie on the television.

Kuriko laid face down on her bed. Kuriko replayed the scene from before in her head. She sighed. What she said was pretty selfish sure thought. Well what was she supposed to do? She can't just tell him to give up all his dreams for her. Well now that she thinks about it, she was just trying to do just that. How did such a normal day end up like this? As she was continuing her thoughts, her sister opened the door.

"Ken wanted to give you back your bag and he wants to talk to you outside"

"Tell him I don't want to see him" she said as she rolled to her side, facing away from Momoko.

"...Alright..." Momoko said hesitantly as she left the room after putting her sister's bag on the floor.

After Momoko doing just that, she stood in front of her sister's room.

"Anything wrong?"

"..."

"Well I don't know the details, but you should go apologize." Kuriko twitched a bit.

"I mean you always act like a selfish brat around Ken even though he does so many things for you, like, picking you up from school, carrying your bags for you, helping you study for your test- " Momoko was interrupted by a pillow that was thrown in her face.

"Stupid Momoko! I don't want to be called selfish by someone who only comes home when she gets into a fight with her boyfriend!" Kuriko said as she got up.

"Why you-" Momoko said as she took a step but had the door slammed in her face before she had a chance to.
After Kuriko locked the door she plopped to bed. She could hear Momoko mumbling as she went downstairs.

Kuriko had no idea what she was going to do tomorrow.

Kuriko woke up earlier than usual even though she couldn't sleep. She then went downstairs. For once she was the first one awake. She then made toast for herself and the rest of her family before they awoke. After she ate her portion of breakfast, she then went to school even though it was too early to leave. Past the halfway point to school she could feel the weight of her bag bringing her down to earth. She sighed and missed Ken even though it had been only half a day. She was the first one to arrive to her class. She wondered if Ken was at her house to pick her up, only to find her already at school. To be honest this was the longest fight they had. Ken would already be apologizing to her if this was a previous fight even if he didn't do anything wrong. But she already knew that he wouldn't apologize unless he knew what he was apologizing for. Don't get her wrong, she wanted to apologize. She was just the type who had rarely apologized and didn't know how she should apologize. She sighed and waited for this day to be over.

The last bell rang and all the kids were rushing out the doors. She prepared herself in class to apologize to Ken once she saw him. As she thought this she saw him by the school gate. She walked to him but only to see him still talking to the girl from before. Kuriko felt herself get angry and dejected. Kuriko then quickened her pace and held her head down as she quickened her pace with the crowd, passing Ken.

Ken looked toward the crowd and saw a familiar gingered hair girl. Ken wanted to run up to the crowd right then and there but was interrupted by the girl beside him.

"So Saturday at 12?" She asked.

Ken sighed and nodded "Yeah"

'Today was Saturday' Kuriko thought as she woke up from her slumber. 'Would he really not tell her about him attending the orientation that would cause him to go overseas? Maybe I was wrong about him having a crush on me after all.' She thought.

"I see that you're finally awake, sleeping beauty" Momoko said mocking.

"You should go help Ken move stuff on the moving truck" Momoko said

"What?! You're helping him move?!" Kuriko asked. 'Was he moving already?' Kuriko thought

"What's wrong with that?" Momoko said as she saw her sister get ready in a hurried fashion.

"Stupid Momoko!" Kuriko said as she went downstairs to put on her shoes and left the house.

Momoko stood bewildered at this. "What did I do this time?"

Kuriko made her way to Ken's house which was also a laboratory that he and his dad did inventions in. In the distance she could see the truck by the lab.

'Please don't leave yet Ken!' She thought. She could feel tears brimming up in her eyes. She could barely see what was in her way. She then bumped into an object or person to be in fact and fell backwards.

"Kuriko what happened?" She heard a familiar voice say as he knelt down.

"Ken, don't leave!" Kuriko could feel her tears streaming down her face but she didn't care. "I'm sorry for being selfish brat but I'm only like that with you because I like you!" Ken felt himself blush after hearing the word 'like' but Kuriko didn't notice "I'll stop being selfish and I'll carry my own bag and get to school on my own and I'll do better on my tests s-so" Kuriko was sobbing now "S - so don't leave!" Kuriko said and started sobbing in her arms.

"What are you talking about Kuriko?" Ken said as he wiped Kuriko's tears.

"I - isn't the orientation today-? For that overseas institute?" Kuriko said while hiccupping.

"I'm not going to that" Ken said

"Y-you're not?" Kuriko said while wiping her tears.

"Nope"

"T-then why is there a moving truck?"

"My dad got another laboratory so we're moving some stuff there"

"What about that girl?" Kuriko said as she wiped the last of her tears away.

"She's going to be my dad's assistant"

"O-oh" they both stayed silent for a bit.

"So... you said you liked me huh?" Ken smirked but had a tint of red in his cheeks as he said that. Kuriko realized what she had said before and grew red and turned around quickly.

"N-No..."

"I heard it loud and clear though" Ken said mockingly.

"Shut up" Kuriko said embarrassed as she turned around to give Ken a punch on the arm but Ken blocked it with his hand.

"Just for that you're going to carry my bag forever! Unless..."

"Unless what?

"Unless you tell me you like me too..." Kuriko mumbled while looking away. Ken gave a smile. He took her chin to face him.

"I like you, too, my selfish princess" Ken whispered and kissed her lips.

...

"Sorry to ruin the moment but... Ken do you mind helping me out?" His dad asked.

Ken turned around and was beet red.

"Okay..." his dad then went back to the moving truck.

Kuriko chuckled as she got up.

"You're cute when you're all red"

"You're red too..." Ken said as he got up as well. He took her hand and they both walked toward the moving truck.