Chapter Fourteen: The Almost Confession

The school week went by quickly for Satoshi, as he was suspended for 3 days. However when he returned back to school he found people's attitude towards him had changed. Suddenly people respected him. Guys admired him, and girls seemed to like him all the more. They thought it was romantic that he stood up for Natsume, while the guys couldn't get over how many times he had punched Ando. Natsume acted her usual self on his returned, complaining about how she had gotten used to his box lunches. Yuriko seemed to revert more into her shy state. Ando, on the other hand, was no where to be seen. Since he had started the whole fight, and injured Natsume in the process, he was suspended for seven days. It probably was necessary because of his injuries.

At work those missing three days, Yumiko let him borrow her notes. She was in a different homeroom, but they still were in the same grade and still taught by the same teachers. After school, Yuriko would hand him assignments and homework they had gotten. By the time Satoshi returned to school, he was already caught up, surprising his Teachers by returning all the assignments he had been given.

When Sunday came around, he was glad he wasn't roped into another date. Natsume said she had plans, so there was no chance of another Ayane incident. Unfortunately Saki had plans also, and it involved the use of the apartment. While she had finished her studies for the week, Rei and Megumi had invited themselves over on Saturday night for drinks. They all got so drunk they ended up staying the night. So on Sunday morning Satoshi looked for an excuse to leave the college party, even if he had no where to go.

He returned to the public neighborhood park, as it seemed to be his new hang out spot of late. Because he had left in a hurry, he didn't change into his contacts. He was lucky that his old frames had broken during the move and that Saki insisted that he get "cool" frames instead of his "otaku" ones he had before. He forgot about his glasses for the most part, since he tended to wear them when he wasn't in school anyway. In fact when he spent most of his night sessions in the park, he usually had them on. But it wasn't until he ran into the little girl who gave him chocolates that he remembered. She commented that she liked them.

He sat on the bench over looking the playground equipment, sighing an exhausted sigh. He had nothing to do, and he certainly didn't want to spend the rest of the day with his sister's hung-over friends, especially Rei. In his haste to leave, not only did he forget to put in his contacts, but forgot to bring a book or something with him. So he had nothing to do but watch some children swing on the swing set.

"Is that Okada-kun?"

Turning in his seat he saw Yumiko walking up to him. The only reason he could tell the difference was because she called him "-kun" instead of "-san". However, if he was in doubt before, her outgoing personality quickly shined through once she realized she was right.

"Hello. What are you doing here?"

"I've got nothing to do." Satoshi said truthfully.

She looked away for a moment, as if thinking about something, then returned her gaze. "You come here a lot, don't you?"

He wasn't sure how she knew that, but gave her quick nod.

"I've seen you working out late at night." She admitted. "Not that I'm spying on you or anything."

"My sister can't study when I'm home. We have a small apartment." Satoshi explained.

"Are you out here every night?"

"Pretty much." Satoshi scratched the back of his head. "You want to sit down?"

She took a seat next to him, her face slightly pinker. In that moment she looked a lot like her twin sister, who seemed to have blushing to an art. "I was off going shopping." Yumiko told him. "I need some new clothes."

"You're not going with Yuriko-san?" Satoshi asked. "I thought that type of thing was what sisters do."

"Ordinarily that's the case, but she's off somewhere also. I called up some of my friends and they were all busy, so it's just me."

This was one of the few times she looked nervous. "Are you trying to find a way of asking me to go with you?"

She laughed. "Exactly. I don't know why I'm so embarrassed about it. I guess I don't want to offend you."

"Why would that offend me?"

"Because, you know… your girlfriend." Yumiko gave a small grin. "I mean, we're friends and all, but I'm still a girl."

Satoshi rolled his eyes. "I don't care what she thinks."

"Some boyfriend." She laughed at him. "But I don't buy it. You beat that guy to a pulp for pushing her on the ground. So you can't lie and say you don't care about her."

Satoshi shrugged. "If she was doing something right now with some guy I wouldn't care."

"You trust her that much?"

"If there is one thing I'm sure of, it's that she isn't a two-timer." Satoshi said with certainty.

"Does she trust you that much?" Yumiko asked.

"Probably." Satoshi tried to hide the bitterness developing in his mouth. "I couldn't do that."

Yumiko stared at him. Sometimes she did this, and it unnerved him. She looked too much like Yuriko that it made his stomach feel like it had butterflies inside. "I just can't figure you out, yet."

"I'm sorry about that."

Yumiko gave a quick chuckle. "Well, if it's not a problem, do you want to come with me? I know it'll be boring looking at me picking out clothes, but I could use the company."

"I've got nothing else to do." Satoshi stood up, and offered his hand to help her stand up as well.

"You're so romantic." Yumiko teased.

He followed her to the train station. Mostly she was talking about some RPG she was playing, and Satoshi admitted to have played it, and gave her tips on how to reach a secret boss. He hadn't realized he had done so, until he was finished talking. Occasionally he would slip, and let some of his real self show. Thankfully it never was in school. The closest call was at the Kunoichi film when he revealed he had played DOA. Most of his slip ups seemed to be at work, with Yumiko drawing a story out of him that he ordinarily wouldn't say. But to her credit, she never told anyone, nor did she tease him when she learned something new about him.

"I didn't know you wore glasses." Yumiko told him as they reached a clothing store.

"I usually put in contacts. But I had to leave in a hurry this morning." Satoshi admitted.

"They look nice on you. Makes you look less threatening."

"What"

"Everyone is talking about you in school. How you really messed up that kid in your class. I think some people are scared of you." Yumiko said, as she was picking up a blouse, holding it to her chest in front of a mirror. "I think you like it that way."

"Maybe I do." Satoshi watched her pose in front of the mirror. "I haven't had the easiest life before I came here."

"Really?" Yumiko placed the blouse back, turning her attention back at him.

He had done it again. "I don't want to talk about it."

"No problem." Yumiko smiled. "I shouldn't have pried."

"I have to keep an eye on you." Satoshi smirked.

"I'm like a ninja." Yumiko did a few ninjustsu hand symbols. "I strike when you least suspect it!"

They both laughed at this. He followed her around with his hands in his pockets as she walked over to the next shirt she was interested in. She pulled it out, and he must of made a face at it (as it was a hideous color) that she put it back. He wondered if she was taking his tastes into account after that.

After she had bought a few shirts, a shirt, a pair of jeans, and some socks, they left the store. She started handed over some of her bags to him, so she could adjust her purse, then she blushed again. Once again his thoughts went to Yuriko. It was just odd seeing the other twin blush like that.

"I'm sorry, I'm making you hold all that stuff, here let me…"

"It's fine, don't worry about it." Satoshi told her in a flat voice.

"But if you hold those for me…we… we look like a couple."

Satoshi now realized why she was blushing before. "So what." He muttered lamely. "We're not, so who cares."

"Right." Yumiko gave him a nervous giggle. "I'll take some of those then. And you can be my man-servant and carry the rest."

"Anything for you, Kitamura-sama."

Yumiko laughed, and laughed hard. She nearly fell over. He couldn't help but laugh at her laughing at him. Apparently he struck a funny bone. After she composed herself, they started back toward the train station. He noticed she seemed to be extremely nervous around him again. It was started to creep him out.

"What is it now?" He asked.

"What is what?" Yumiko obviously was surprised at his question.

"You're nervous again." Satoshi poked her with one of her bags.

"I'm not."

"Are so."

"I was just thinking, that's all." Yumiko raised her eye brows. "That this was nice. I had fun."

"So what, that's not bad." Satoshi shrugged.

"It is. Because you got a girlfriend."

"I told you not to worry about that."

"I'm not worried about her thinking about you cheating on her." She breathed in. "I'm just mad at myself, that's all."

"I don't understand why two friends can't go out together."

"Because, you idiot." Yumiko dropped her bags on the ground. "Isn't it obvious on how I feel?"

He blinked at her. She couldn't be saying what he thought she was saying. He swallowed hard as he watched her eyes piercing into his. She was dead serious, and it looked like she was running on pure emotion, all barriers had being dropped. But a second later, her better judgment kicked in and she turned her face away, picking up her bags.

"I'm sorry." Yumiko muttered. "You're not an idiot, I am. I shouldn't have said that."

"Yumiko…" Satoshi blurted out before thinking, her face got redder one the mention of her given name. "I mean Kitamura-san…"

"Just forget it." Yumiko was looking at everything but him. "We'll pretend I didn't say anything embarrassing, okay?"