Admiration

It is seven in the morning, today is the second day for school. It is quite strange that you would not act so grouchy when you had awoken from your deep sleep. The year before, you were never the morning person. You would sometimes fall asleep right after you woke up for school, it wasn't a good choice, considering that your mother would chastise you after. Today however, went to a turn of events. You woke up without any trouble. Right after waking up, you washed your face, put on your uniform from the high school and went downstairs for breakfast.

On the menu today for breakfast are miso soup, fried pork and white rice. Not a bad combination, if you say. Your mother's cooking wasn't bad at all, in fact, you rather pick her food over a restaurant's food. You were the only child in the house, so it could be lonely at times. After eating breakfast, you picked up your suit case. Before leaving, you would say your farewells to your mother. She gives you your bento and watches you walk through the door.

As soon as you set foot outside, you spot Osaka walking out of her home. She closes the door and turns around. That's when she spots you all the way from her house.

"Good morning (y/n)!" She says loudly while waving her hand.

You couldn't help but smile, maybe walking to school won't be so bad after all. The fact that she lives across from you makes you want to love your home even more. Osaka walks towards you while your walking outside of your property.

"Good morning Ayumu, how's your morning?" You asked her nicely.

"Pretty nice if I say so myself!" She said in a happy tone.

"You're in a happy mood aren't you?"

"Yes I am, my parents told me that we would go to the movies on Saturday if everyone finished unpacking the stuff! There's this movie I've been meaning to watch recently." Osaka said.

"Cool, what genre?"

"Horror."

You were surprised from her answer, you never expected her to have a thing for the horror genre. Usually, the girls would mostly watch romance movies, but never a horror movie. Unless if she had the guts to watch it.

"Really? That's nice."

After minutes of walking, the two of you stop by a stop light. While waiting for the walking signal to light up, Osaka tells you a riddle.

"Do you want to solve a riddle?" She asks.

"Sure thing, just, not a hard one this time."

"Okay, here we go. What can you catch, but not throw?"

"Hm, I'd say. The cold." You answered.

"Correct!"

"That's was way too simple, hit me another one!" You said with confidence.

"Okay. If a green man lives in a green house, a purple man lives in a purple house, a blue man lives in a blue house, a yellow man lives in a yellow house. Who lives in a White House?"

"That would be, the president."

"Wow, I never met a person this good at riddles!" She stares at you in awe with a blush.

"Wooow." She said.

You couldn't help but blush because of the way she looked at you.

"What a cute face." You said quietly.

Whoops, I hope she didn't hear that! You thought.

The walking signal lights up. You start walking ahead, by taking notice, she had to be snapped out of her own little world.

"Ayumu, we need to cross!"

"Oh, right!" She runs up behind you.

After a few minutes of walking, the two of you made it to school. Just passing through the school gates, everyone had to take off their outdoor shoes and place in their locker. On the inside were the school shoes everyone had to wear for the rest of the school day. Osaka had to part from you due to her locker located at the end of room.

You were done with placing the shoes in the locker. Now you wait for Osaka to finish. For some strange reason, she was struggling to put on her own foot inside the shoe. You felt the need to help.

"Having trouble there, Ayumu?"

"I can't put my foot in." She said.

"Let me see."

You see the problem, it was quite likely for it to happen when the shoes have been first bought. A solution was then found, you open up your suitcase and take out a shoehorn. You take her shoe and line up the shoehorn inside in the back of the shoe.

"Here, place your foot in." You told her.

"Okay."

She lifts up her foot and carefully leans it closer to the inside. You carefully held her well defined leg and gently lead her foot inside, sliding it in softly. It wasn't noticeable for you because you were focused on the foot, but the whole time you made contact with her foot, she was shaking and her face had slight pink shade.

This reminds me of that princess story my mom told me when I was a little kid. The prince places the princess' foot inside the glass shoe. Soon after they would fall in love. She thought.

"And there you go! Let's go to class!" You said.

"Uh, o-okay." She said.

You lead her to the classroom located at the far left of the school. Nothing big happened during the way there, walking was the only thing that happened.

What is this that I feel about him? I've never felt this way before, just by looking at him makes my heart beat faster. Maybe I should ask my mom about this, maybe I could be sick or something. She thought to herself.

The classroom door slides open, everyone looks at the two people coming inside. It was you and the newly arrived Osakan, Ayumu Kasuga, better known as Osaka. They all paid more attention on Osaka rather that you. You were just that average guy arriving at class, nothing special they found fond of you. The two of you sat on your desks and waited patiently for the homeroom teacher to arrive.

Things went differently for Osaka, a group of girls came and surrounded her desk. One of those girls was the smart and mature one, Koyomi Mizuhara, the loud and energetic, Tomo Takino and the child prodigy, Chiyo Mihama. It was about time that Osaka would get some friends. So you decided to stay quiet and lay your head down until the teacher arrived.

As usual, Yukari made it to class later than they had anticipated. Class started, nothing special happened during class, just a normal day at English class.

Three hours have passed, just one more class to attend to. But before that class began, a new plan came in mind. Since you barely spent time with Osaka, you decided to invite her for some ice cream.

You lean next her, luckily she was talking to no one, she was alone at her desk.

"Hey, Ayumu."

"Yes (y/n)?" She said.

"Are you free after school? Besides doing homework."

"I am, why?" She tilted her head sideways to you.

"I..was..wondering..if you would like to...go out for ice cream?" You said nervously.

"Oh, um." She said which made you worry.

Is she going to decline? If she does, then what will I do? You thought.

Is he asking me out, or is this just a friendly invitation? Should I say yes, or no? She thought.

"Um." She starts blushing.

"Uh, if you can't then maybe another time!" You chuckled.

What am I saying! You thought.

"Yes!" She exclaims.

"Really?" You said in surprise.

"Yes, I would love to go." She said in a light tone.

"Okay, meet me at the front gate after school ends. We'll go home, finish our homework, and then we'll go out for ice cream!" You confirmed.

"Great, I'm looking forward to it!" She smiled.

After school...

The moment has come, it was now the end of school, for today at least. Just like you said, you'd wait for Osaka at the front gate. There was no clue as to what Osaka might be doing right, the last time you saw her was when she got up from her desk and went out. It could be likely that she would be at the bathroom doing her business or washing her face. It didn't take long for her to come back. You wave at her from afar to let her know your location. She walks up to you and asks.

"You ready?"

"Ready as ever." You reply back.

The two of you walked out of the school campus momentarily. After minutes of walking, not a word came out of her or your mouth. It was a bit awkward that you gave her such a sudden invitation. Half of you regrets the choice because of embarrassment, the other half is thankful and happy for your actions. A neophyte such as yourself would feel mixed emotions when it comes to the subject of love. There would be a mix of confusion, shyness and joy. It is a normal thing in life, especially for young individuals.

"Ayumu." You called her name from behind.

"What is it?" She said in her usual Osakan accent.

"If we have time, we could shop around the mall. That is if, you want to?" You said.

"Sounds great." She gives a thumbs up, making you baffled.

At last, both of you would make it to their safe and cozy houses. You part from her and walk home. You would tell your mom the news and permission to go out with a friend at a ice cream shop. Due to your mom's generousity, she nods, letting you have the the time her. Never has she known that this particular friend would be a girl.

The last thing you would do is walk upstairs to your room and immediately start on the homework you were assigned from English class. After that was done, you take a long and refreshing shower. When ready and dressed up, it was time to wait for her to finish. You sit there and wait for her to come out of her house.