Thanks for reading as always!

So I honestly don't know if genderbends keep the same personality as their original counterparts, so I'll probably be writing a lot of OOC.

"What brings you here?" Karmen ask in a nonchalantly tone.

"I-I-I, um...!" Mano stutters as he take her offer in help getting him off the ground. "Just...came to see you..." He was quiet after each words and blush after realizing what he just said.

"I'm sorry." She sigh and walk away.

"W-wait! WHAT." He shout out in confusion.

"Weren't you here to confess your feelings or something?"

Her face said boredom while his face came from blushing out of shyness, to deadpanned bluntness.

'She that self-conceited?' He ask himself blandly.

"NO. I was asked to—" He was about clarify some things but thinking about the request. He maybe thought was this suppose to be a secret? Crap, looks like he needs to come up with a lie.

"Aren't you Okuda?" She interrupted. Mano secretly thanking her for the rude manner but was quite uncomfortable when she lean in very close to get a good at his face. Forcing Mano to move back a little at the

"Yes," instantly answer. "But I here for a completely different reason."

"Like what then?"

He gulped as he really can't think of any lie. Forming a thin line.

Out of pure pressure he blurted; "I was wondering if you like to be my friend?!"

Resulting both eyes widen at the question. But Karmen's mercury eyes narrow in suspicion as she walked away to give each other some space.

"Is that what you're seriously asking?" The redhead thought it was a joke. "Don't you have other friends, that's from our class?"

"I wouldn't really call them friends..." Sweatdropping of how they would usually come to him for help in school work. "They usually come for help on their schoolwork." Smiling sheepishly that could look like him and his classmates are friends from any outside view. "So I honestly haven't made any official friends."

He look away hiding his embarrassment but his weak laugh gave it away.

"Really?" She ask in amazement.

"Is it t-that surprising?"

The girl was being quiet in thinking her choice of words. But she ends up being straightforward of her answer.

"It's just...you're very... plain." Ouch. "You seem like those boring everyday nice guy. Nothing special and easily treated as a background character no one pays attention to but very easy to be approach by anybody."

As Mano was deciphering that it was majority of an insult. Karmen held out her hand.

"But sure, I'll be your friend." She reveal a grin. "The name's Karmen Akabane, your classmate. You can call me by my first name."

At first the ravenette was hesitate on taking it. But he remember he was doing Mr. Saeki a request.

And he slowly take her small hand into his own larger hand for a handshake.

"You already know me but, I'm your classmate Mano Okuda."

-PRESENT TIME (SPRING BREAK)-

"Where are we going?" The tall ravenette ask as he's still stretching his back.

"Somewhere fun! Now come on, you're being slow again!" She yelled out since she was a couple of meters ahead of her friend.

Her friend can only sigh and struggle to keep on running.

After all the chasing and catching up, this lead them to a shopping district, a very festive one at the most.
Decoration of pink and yellow along with a lot of other bright color to represent spring. Streamers draping up above, balloons selling to the little kids, and a lot of people holding on to some flowers.

"This is somewhere fun?" He ask uncomfortably with the number of people in this busy street, knowing he will probably get lost despite his tall height. He rather be somewhere quiet or stay at his home.

"Well honestly," She's now spilling out her true intention. "There's this new game I wanted for my 3Ds, and this is a well known street have my favorite game shop." Smiling without a care in the world, except a certain game she's aiming for.

"Why did you need me then?" He ask irritated. "you could of gone and get it yourself then." He said bland but a little irritation mixed in his voice.

"Well when I texted you what are you doing. You said," quoting his replied text without needing her phone out. "Not much pretty bored, u?"
"And I thought I use this opportunity to take you out. And it look like you needed some fun in your life, it is after all, spring break."

"Oh jeez thanks..." Only to get a smile out her to answer his sarcastic gratitude.

"Come on let's go!" Karmen was already sprinting and grab hold of Mano's sleeve again.

"Hey! What did I say about dragging me down!"

They finally made it to the game shop after times the redhead was teasing by dragging her tall friend through the crowd zig-zagging to their destination.

"Hey we made it...!" Lashing his sleeve around but to this time, no avail. Gritting his teeth due to his continue struggle.

Karmen pay no concern for she was looking around the store before entering through. And her eyes widen in excitement of where she found the section full of 3Ds game.

"Found it!" pointing at the section of the store in calm happiness. "Let's go Okuda."

"Will you let go of me first...!"

Entering through and Mano finally free of his redhead friend's grasp on his sleeve. He decided to look around for any games that's close to his taste.

Being somewhat away from the girl he was searching through the 3ds games as well but on the opposite end. His part of his viewing were mystery games that included puzzle hints. the closest thing that peak his taste in gaming genre.

Scanning the games with his finger. It stopped on a game called: Rhythm Thief: & the Emperor's treasure.

The cover have an art of a redheaded boy wearing a dark blue jacket and pants. The jacket was open and have a white shirt and red tie shown out in the open underneath the jacket, and he was wearing a dark blue hat as well with a red band around the flat top. His hair was bright red and long to cover one of his eyes as he tilted his head down. one hand was holding his hat on his head and the other pointing out as a pose in style. And was also wearing a big bracelets around his right wrist.

'Interesting.' He thought and a smile was brought to his face as he grab it to look at the back of the small game.

Reading the summary about a boy name Raphael who's secretly a rhythm thief who's on a mission to find his father that disappeared when he was a kid.

True the game does seem interesting, but the black hair boy was interested in the main character Raphael. That he look very similar to his real life redhead friend Karmen.

Looking back and forth, Between and comparing Raphael and Karmen.

Despite the difference in eye color and gender. If Karmen was a boy, (s)he could pull off the outfit as a good cosplay.

'I'm pretty it would her—' His thought were interrupted by said, female redhead.

"Found a game you like?" She ask she hover her head over the small game box.

'W-whoa! When did she started walking to me?' Mano panick for not hearing her footsteps.

"I-I wasn't planning on buying a game..." He mutter since he did bring his wallet, but didn't have enough money. Wanting the game was half a lie.

"Do you even have a 3DS?"

He nodded.

"Well I found the game I wanted," She lifted her game to show him the title that said 'Super Smash Bros Games.' "I'll cover for you with whatever left you can't pay."

"WHAT?!" This surprise him like he just won the lottery. "Y-you don't n-n-need to do that! I said I wasn't planning on b-buying anything!" Stuttering and trying to get his rejection clear.

"You're a terrible liar." She flick him on the forehead lights as she giggle. "Beside the game you're holding, it's a really cheap price." Pointing at the sticker on the front.

It said it cost $18.99, actually enough for Mano to pay on his own.

'That looks freakin' expensive to me...!' The ravenette thought fearfully.

"Then how much does your game cost? Also, it's actually at the price I can pay it myself."

She nonchalantly show the price sticker on her choice.

$39.99

"Seriously?!" He shouted so loud everyone turn and stare at the couple.

Murmuring can heard like:

"He must be new to gaming."

"I wonder what game it is? Maybe one of the recent popular game?"

"Oh yeah, there's that one game that cost over twenty dollars."

Blushing more and more as each comments are being said and heard by the introverted boy.

"Let's go the cashier, to save yourself before it gets more awkward."

"S-s-sure thing."

"You should let me know if the game is any fun." Karmen stated as they decided to stay in the district to look around some other shops as their walking beside each other.

"Sure."

Mano look around the stores to see where else they can check out.

"OI! Yooooooouuuuuuuuuu!" Said a male shopkeeper, waving trying to get someone's attention. "The tall handsome man in glasses! In the light purple open-zipped jacket!"

Apparently he was trying to get Mano's attention. Fore he is wearing the purple jacket with a gray T-shirt underneathe, simple blue jean and black and white converse.

When he look at the shopkeeper with a nervous expression. He look around to see anyone else is wearing the same jacket as him before pointing himself.

The shopkeeper nods in happiness and motion him to come to his shop since he was standing in front of the entrance.

Mano was about to go until Karmen was tugging on his sleeve a little.

"I gonna go check out this shop. Can you stay here til I come back?"

Using this to his advantage, he said sure and even push her a little forward to give her that boost of walking. She found it odd at first. Then she brush off the little weirdness and kept walking on.

"You called, sir?" Mano asked as he meet up with the man.

He look very feminine with his blond poofy hair curl and tied to a ponytail to his left side of the man's shoulder. He was also wearing a pink apron over a simple white T-shirt, sky blue pants, and red boots, have a calm face of reassuring green eyes and a gentle smile. Also the tag was attach on his apron tha said Kaoru Hanase.

"Yes, indeed I do!" Kaoru exclaim peppy. "Wait here!"

And the blonde man quickly enter into his shop.

As Mano was waiting for the shopkeeper to return. He decided to look around outside of the shop.

It was a florist shop with the title "Florist Princess", a simple blush link sign with the title, and simple natural color brick walls beside the entrance. There was a glass sliding door open that people can view the display of flowers whether the shop is open or closed.

'What a cute shop.' Mano thought as a gentle smile slowly stretch across his lips.

"Here you go sir." Kaoru exclaim, making quite a surprising return for Mano was too deep into viewing the outside florist shop.

"E-eh?!" Having one foot moving behind. Then he know he means no harm when he look at the flower in he blonde man's hand.

It was a single red rose. Wrap in plastic and it's thorn were cut, and the leaves curve to have represent plant-like hands holding the rose.

"I think your girlfriend gonna love it." Smiling very sweetly and innocence.

"E-Eeeeeeehhhhh?!"

"Huh? You guys are dating, right?" Kaoru asked in pure innocence.

"N-n-No! It's not like that at all!" He made sure of having one hand holding a bag that include his new game and the other wildly waving his hand around as 'NO.'

"We're just friends that all." Shouting out clarification with bright blush of red radiating his cheeks.

"Oh dear," The blonde put a hand over his mouth and eyes wide at the truth. "I'm sorry if I took that view for granted."

"It's fine. Besides, I don't think she would choose a guy like me...though I don't feel that way about her." The ravenette laugh awkwardly as he also puts out. "We only been friends for a week and three days. Thankfully nothing troubling happen yet."

The shopkeeper can only chuckle at this weird conclusion.

"Did you bring the girl with you here this afternoon?"

"Actually," preparing himself to explain his and Karmen's friendship. "She was the one that dragged me here for a game she wanted. Even though she could of got it herself. She always like that since we started to become friends. But to make it even between us is I put up with set down some limits, and she helps me get me out of my shell."

"Well I think I have just the thing. Please wait here again." Asking the same request and bowing in apology before entering the shop once more.

When he came back with another rose but in a different color, faintly two colors.

"I think this would suit the between the two of you quite lovely...!"

The rise was in the same shape with the leaves and it's thorn cut off. The color have majority of yellow but with some red at the tip of each petals. And some show more red tips for the bottom petals near the stem.

"Think of this as a thank you gift."

"I guess so..." Mano replies as he was pulling out his wallet.

"Oh no need for that. This is on me."

"R-really?! Are you sure?" He ask cautiously since he have just barely enough money to pay and get little change back.

"I insist." Kaoru answer gleefully. "You should go, I think that female friend of yours is waiting for you." Pointing at Karmen who was leaning on a wall with her arms cross against her chest.

"I-I really should l! Thank you...!" Quickly bowing and made his own return to his companion.

"Sorry Karmen-chan!" Mano quickly apologize as he stopped right in front of her.

"Where were you?" She asked sternly.

"I was at a shop that a shopkeeper wanted me to be there. Again sorry."

"No need, it's your fault anyway." She said nonchalantly turning away from him.

'What's that suppose to mean?' He asking himself as his eyebrows twitch a little irk. Then later sighed.

"We should probably head back."

Karmen pulled out her phone to check the time. "Ah, it's getting late."

She bounce herself off the wall and started walking ahead. And they begun walking beside each other home.

"Well thanks for accompanying to the shops."

"Well it's not like I got a say in this."

As the introvert and troublesome friends continuing being friends. They discover many things, and one of them is they live in the same neighborhood.

As Mano dropping his friend off.

"Okuda." Saying his name bluntly.

She grab something out of her bag that included her new 3DS game.

"This for you." Stating the obvious and form a straight line. "This is to make up for dragging you today..." Blood risen to her cheeks slightly of a pale pink color.

She held out two medium size wrapped up food of sweet pork dumpling.l that were in their own miniature bag.

"When I said it was your fault anyway," speaking nonchalantly. "I meant that you left me waiting for so long that the food/gift was getting cold."

The boy was astonish of her kind offer, it brought a genuine smile, practically made just for his first friend.

"Thanks Karmen-chan." He took the dumpling bag off her hand. "I actually have something for you too."

"O-oh, there's no need...!" She smiled nervously and try to cooly reject the offer. "You didn't have to—"

A yellow with red tips rose came into her view.

She was confuse until she look at the tall boy's Violet eyes.

"The shopkeeper insisted that I give this to you as a thank you gift." He held his own blush as he was still talking. "I guess I been meaning to say thank you for saying yes in being my friend."

The rose was little curve since he also hid his gift in his bag as well.

She smile when she notice his arm was shaking knowing this scene is becoming a little embarrassing, even for her.

"Thanks Okuda. That's...very nice of you." Revealing her own genuine smile as she gently took the fragile rose off his hand.

"I'm gonna probably staying home playing my game til school starts again. So don't worry about me bothering you again."

"Well...! Oh thank goodness!" Mano replies happily, treating this as a joke.

And they shared a short laugh before the introvert departed.

"What did that flower even suppose to mean?" The ravenette asked himself, laying on top of his bed.

He grabbed his phone that's still charging. Typing on google of what flowers are suppose to represent.

the results lead a link to a pin on Pinterest.

Clicking on it. The link show a picture of different types of flowers and it definition in the flower language.

When he found the picture of the same rose he gave Karmen.

His face was like a thermometer, blood quickly rising up to the top of his head. Ears completely and redness shown on his neck for where the blood was rising from.

Putting a pillow over his face to muffle his groans.

He can only hope that Karmen doesn't get curious enough to look up what he found that was on Pinterest.

This is not what he meant to give her...AT ALL!

"Hey Tamako!" Kaoru greeted a high school girl in charcoals hair twin pig-tails. She came to visit to get a new flower for her pot as a gift to her dead mother.

"How was business today?" She ask in the same cheery manner as always.

"I gave a beautiful rose to nice young man."

"But all your flowers are beautiful. What make the rose different?" Tamako ask in a somewhat childish voice.

"Well Tamako," Kaoru face her in a tender loving way like a parent about to tell an old tale. "Are you familiar with the language of flowers?"

The girl shakes her head in curiousity.

"Well, every flower have a different meaning base on what what kind of flower or by what color. And the flower I gave to the man who was with his female friend of his was a yellow rose with red tips of each petal."

"So what does it mean then Kaoru?"

"It symbolizes Friendship & Falling in Love."

HOLY. SHIT. This is the longest one-shot I've ever written so far in my life! Over +3000 words! (ᵒ̤̑ ₀̑ ᵒ̤̑)wow!*✰

Also I love flower and yes I came across this on Pinterest. And this became an inspiration to this chapter. So I hope you guys like that little plant language/reference.

That's and see ya next time!