Chapter Eleven:

Mitsukuni was buried in a world of computer codes. He was a Computer Engineering kind of guy, but it didn't make it any less burdensome. He spent a large majority of his studying, formatting new code for a new game or for software. While he was happy to work on new games, he wasn't exactly thrilled to be working on software codes. To put it simply, it bored him. He understood the many reasons why he had to work and develop software, but he still longed to deal only in games.

Whats more, they were just given an assignment that would require Mitsukuni to look for help outside of the University. They weren't creating too much code with this project and were instead creating a concept. I would be a project that would start in the new year. He had to create a concept for a MMO, get someone to create characters, scenery, and animation. His problem was that he wasn't particularly artistic. Put him in the ring with a Karate master and he would wipe the floor with the guy. Give him a whole cake. Done. Create a new world with a cast of characters. Eh, not so easy. He supposed he could ask the twins for help. They draw fashion concepts all the time, and if they couldn't draw scenery, maybe, just maybe they knew someone who did.

Mitsukuni looked away from his computer screen as his eyes started to water. Maybe he just needed a nap. A nap sounded just right. He looked at the clock and frowned unpleasantly. If he took a nap now, he would ruin his sleep schedule, and everyone was well aware of how hard it was for Mitsukuni to wake up. He could almost cry at the fact that he wouldn't be getting a nap in today.

Still, he needed a break or he was going to make a mistake and not catch it for several days. He pushed himself away from his desktop computer and yawned as he stretched. Maybe he just needed a sugar rush. Caffeine?

He walked over to his door and opened it, looking up and down the hall before he silently slipped out. He was going to go talk to the chef to see what there was that he could eat and eat quickly.

He didn't get very far when he heard his mother at the door. "Akira-chan what are you doing here? Do you have practice with Mitsukuni?"

Mitsukuni stopped dead in his tracks and perked up like a dog that had just smelled bacon.

"Not today. I just came to give him some lemon cupcakes. He's been working really hard on that code of his," Akira's voice echoed through the main living area. "I can't stay too long. I'm going to meet Sora-kun and get some dinner before we go to the main library."

"You're such a hard worker," Mitsukuni's mother laughed. "I'll make sure Mitsukuni gets his cupcakes."

"Akira-chan!" Mitsukuni yelled running towards the front door at full speed. He held his arms open as soon as he had caught sight of the petite brunette. Once he was close enough he wrapped his arms around her and spun her around.

"Mitsukuni, you put that poor girl down," his mother chastised. Luckily, she was holding the cupcake.

"It's okay Haninozuka-sama," Akira laughed hugging Mitsukuni close. "Are you taking a break?"

"Akira-chan, can't you stay?" Mitsukuni asked with a small pout. "We can eat the cupcakes together."

Akira shook her head. "Apparently Sora-kun has a really juicy story about something that happened at Rae-chan's office. He's also taking me to this place that has a really good American food."

"Like McDonalds?" Mitsukuni asked.

"Better. Not fast food!" Akira giggled.

Mitsukuni pouted a little bit, but he cheered up when his mother held out the cupcakes for him to take. He kissed Akira on the cheek. "Have a good time with Sora-chan. I'll see you tomorrow after your psychology course, right?"

Akira nodded. The two of them were going to go watch the action movie that Rae and Takashi had went to see a couple weeks earlier. Akira had been busy with school just like Mitsukuni, so they hadn't really made time to go see a movie. But they had both agreed that now was the time to see the movie before it left theaters.

0o0o0o0

Sora and Akira sat in a restaurant that made a call back to the 1950's of America. The diner setting was one that the two were only familiar with from old advertisements for Coke. The restaurant served milkshakes, malts, burgers, crispy fries, chili, and other meals that apparently screamed of the American spirit. However, everything was made with as little oil as possible and offered healthier ways to eat.

Akira grimaced as she took a bite of her bacon cheeseburger. A few pickles slid from the mess and she picked them up once the Burger was back on her plate. "Why do pickles have to be so good?" she asked.

"Because you're surrounded by sweets everyday and pickles are the opposite of sweet," Sora smiled as he twisted a limp fry around in ketchup. "So is this place a do again?"

Akira nodded as she picked up her burger again. "Definately."

"So you and Mitsukuni have been having more dates lately," Sora said looking up.

"Study dates," Akira clarified. "We just spend time together while working on homework." She bit into the burger and closed her eyes to savor the moment.

"Still, you're spending more time with him. That's got to mean something," Sora said biting the tip off a fry.

"Yes," Akira nodded. "It means I'm spending more time with him."

Sora rolled his eyes and gave her a "No Duh" look. "I think he's falling in love with you."

Unfortunately for Akira, she had been taking a sip of carbonated Sprite, and before she knew it, she was snorting it all out of her nose in shock. "Sora," she whined, grabbing her napkin and wiping her face. "That burns. Make it stop."

Sora couldn't contain his laughter as he covered his mouth to prevent a full on guffaw. "I'm sorry," he laughed. "I really am."

Akira threw her napkin at him and pouted by crossing her arms and turning her head away. "Laughing is such a great way to show how sorry you are," Akira muttered.

Sora got himself under control and tapped the table to get her attention. "You okay?"

Akira sniffed slightly and nodded.

"Good," Sora said. "But I really do think Mitsukuni is falling in love with you. And let's be honest, what's not to love. You are charming, intelligent. A little on the diminutive side, but so's he."

Akira narrowed her eyes. "Mitsukuni could have you unconscious on the floor in less than a second."

"Now that I'm more than aware of," Sora said shivering. "The Haninozukas are terrifying."

Akira laughed and grabbed another napkin to blow her nose. She scrunched up her nose in distaste and wiggled her nose. "Now all I need are magic powers."

"Bewitched?" Sora asked.

Akira nodded as she grabbed her burger. "You can't really think he's in love."

"Not yet," Sora shook his head. This is where he excelled. He could notice and did notice things about his friends and the people around them. He knew that Akira was just one more date away from feeling like her world would be incomplete without Mitsukuni in it. Mitsukuni was the same. The two had been working together to keep their relationship alive and well and they were both better for it. Well, Akira was better for it. Sora hadn't spent enough time with Mitsukuni to know whether or not, he was better with Akira in his life. "He's getting there," Sora clarified.

Akira stared at Sora for a moment. "But what if I don't love him back?" she asked.

"You do," Sora said with a shake of his head. "Akira, ever since you and Rae found people that fit your worlds, you've both become better. You're happier. You go on more adventures. You have opened your world to a whole new world of experiences, and it has made you a better person for it."

Akira tilted her head to the side as she poked her tongue into her cheek. "Sora, are you bothered that we don't spend all our time with you?"

Sora shook his head. "I spend all day with Rae. I spend a lot of time with you on the weekends when you aren't with Mitsukuni. I get enough time with my two best friends. Don't worry about me."

"Maybe you should find someone," Akira suggested.

"That's the second time you've suggested that," Sora said with a laugh. "I'm actually okay. I'm happy right now. I have a job that's got some great benefits, and I have friends who I would face the devil for. We're still quite young, and I'm not really looking for someone." Sora grabbed a couple of fries and skipped the ketchup as he shoved them in his mouth. He grinned, closing his eyes because the smile was just too large.

Akira bit the inside of her cheek and thought about it. Sora seemed perfectly content. Was she only worried about it because she and Rae had found someone to be involved with? Or maybe she just wanted everyone to have a happy ending. The happily ever after at the end of a fairy tale. Rae and Takashi were nearly there and it was a four month love story that was still unraveling. Did Mitsukuni and Akira have a similar story. Were they on their way to falling in love?

"Sora, sometimes I think you're too philosophical for me," Akira said.

"Sometimes I think you're too naive to be twenty-one."

"Nope, just inexperienced in the ways of the world."

0o0o0o0

Mitsukuni and Akira sat in a coffee shop side by side that was just across the street from the movie theater. They had walked out of the movie and decided that neither of them wanted to go back home and study just yet. Mitsukuni had rejected the stores sweets on the spot, claiming that he had reached his sweets limit for the day. The sweets limit that Takashi had put on him back when they graduated high school. Instead he settled for some hot black tea while Akira sipped at a peppermint hot chocolate.

"Akira-chan," Mitsukuni began looking at his cup. "Are you happy?" he asked.

Akira's brows knitted together in confusion. "Of course I'm happy, why?"

"We haven't gone on a real date for a while. I was just wondering," Mitsukuni said as he looked up. He smiled. "I'm happy too. I want to spend all my time with Akira-chan. Well not all my time, but as much as I can get."

Akira laughed lightly as she shook her head. "I'm always happy when I'm with you. You make me feel important. And when I'm with you, you're the one that's important to me."

"You're always important. Nobody in the world isn't important," Mitsukuni said. "You're just super important." Mitsukuni grabbed Akira's hand and grinned as he gave it a squeeze. "I love Akira-chan."

Akira felt her eyesbrows lift up. Love? She had to process it for a moment. The fluttering in her stomach. The way her cheeks warmed up without any notice. The way she could feel her heart beat skyrocket. But as much as it felt like she was about to pass out, she almost welcomed the action. Mitsukuni said he loved her. She was loved by Mitsukuni Haninozuka and nothing else mattered. She smiled happily. "I love Mitsukuni," she said before she kissed Mitsukuni on the cheek. "I love you." She kissed him again this time on the lips as she squeezed Mitsukuni's hand back.

0o0o0o0

June 10, 2014, Author's Note: Hey friends! I know you're all quite busy with your lives, and so am I. I'm giving you a set of chapters right now, but I'm going to warn you right now of some delays in updating. I leave for a tour of Ireland and England tomorrow. I'll still be writing new chapters, but updating may not happen. The tour is three weeks long. So be patient and you may get many chapters updated when I return. I'll have my laptop, but I'm not really soaking up the culture if I'm constantly updating fic, right? I'll see you all when I get back, and I hope you liked that chapter. Please leave a review if you get a chance. I love to hear from you all.