7. a misapprehension disregarded
Kirisawa looked at Mikagami after seeing the picture. She saw there was an amused smile on his lips, and she could see he was struggling to hold back laughter.
She knew exactly what he felt, and what he was thinking too. They both knew exactly where the sakura tree beneath which this picture was taken, and the time yesterday when it was taken, and now, they also know the reason why. And as she remembers the events of that interesting afternoon her own grin grows wider. Soon she was laughing, and Mikagami looks at her smiling. When their eyes meet they grin at each other and then they were laughing together.
Their friends look on in disbelief, not understanding anything. Yet.
They were all very eager to find out more about the picture entry number 28 on page thirty-five entitled 'When new lovers meet'.
Except perhaps Ishijima...
A tremendous bawl escapes Domon and he yells out. "NOOOOO!!!! SO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS TRUE AFTER ALL!!! MY FUUKO-SAMA AND THAT SILVER-HAIRED GUY HAVE BECOME A COUPLE AND THEY'VE JOINED THE 'CUTEST COUPLES CONTEST'!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!"
"WHAT!?!" Kirisawa says not really feeling very surprised, but feeling some warmth creep into her cheeks. Now the people in school also think she and Tokiya are a couple??? So that's what everyone in my class was talking about... she thinks, understanding everything.
Mikagami just smirks. "Oi, Fuuko and I are not a couple. And I think we should try to contact the photographer listed as the one who entered the picture and explain the same, ask them to withdraw the picture before it's disqualified by the magazine when found out."
Ishijima stares at him, and after gathering his thoughts he replies back, "But... the picture... in here... And you were laughing together just now! You've never laughed together before! If you're not a couple, then what's Fuuko to you!?!"
Mikagami looks at him, and placing his hand lightly on Kirisawa's shoulder, he answers him coolly. "Fuuko is my friend. Just like all of you are my friends."
He smiles at them and walks on, and the others follow him after a bit of a pause. Recca and Yanagi were behind. "Ne, princess." Recca says to Yanagi, his hands laced behind his head in his characteristic way, "There's something... different about Tokiya today."
"I know." Yanagi tells him.
As they continue Fuuko catches up to Tokiya and places an arm on his shoulder. They start to talk as they walked together. And if you did not know them, and you noticed them, then you most likely would have mistakenly thought to yourself, 'What a cute couple...!'.