34: Strong Tower

Setsuna

12:26 PM

Lunch period is here.

In the same, monotonous manner I always have, I pack my things into my school bag. After slinging it over my shoulder, I meet up with Sekai. I'm surprised she didn't take off already, considering Makoto has disappeared without a trace.

When I get a little closer, I notice body language I've never associated with Sekai. She's biting her lip, and her eyes are locked on a piece of paper close beside her. Swallowing back my concern, I divert her attention.

"Sekai, shall we head to the cafeteria?"

"Huh?"

She turns her head towards me in a hurry. Slowly, her countenance change. Her right hand goes behind her head, and she laughs uneasily.

"Oh, hi, Setsuna, I didn't see you there. I guess I was just stuck in my own little world, huh?"

"Yeah…" I answer shakily as she jumps out of her seat.

"So, we'll meet up Hikari and Nanami in the same old place?"

"S-sure…" I wince slightly. "Was something bothering you?"

"No," she shakes her head back and forth, "what made you say that?"

"Well," my lips quirk, "you looked kind of… off."

Without warning, she pats my head twice.

"Why did you do that?" I ask simply.

"A distraction technique," she admits without hesitance, "look, I could point to any one of your expressions during the day and say you looked sad, but I don't. And you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because I trust you,"

She pinches my cheek. I swat her hand away.

"Stop that,"

"Just making a point here, sister," Sekai sighs, "look, if something was really wrong with me, I'd tell ya."

"Alright," I don't even try to feign an accepting smile, "if you're sure."

The two of us make our way to the cafeteria.

"So, you're the Committee President for the next couple days, right?"

"Unfortunately," I groan, "I can't say I'm looking forward to the extra work,"

"Why's that, pooky?" Sekai teases.

I look away and snort, "There's going to be a lot to talk about with the Festival just two days away. And you know there are going to be questions about Katsura and Katou's fight."

"What's there to tell?" She shrugs. "There was bad blood, and they got suspended. So what?"

"Some of us are concerned about the Break Room."

Sekai freezes dramatically.

"Who… Who are you planning to ask?"

I kick her in the gut.

"No one, you idiot."

"I-I… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have been so presumptuous."

"I'm glad you understand," I close my eyes and take a deep breath. "As I was saying; I won't name names, but a couple of my peers have people they've been wanting to ask. It's not unusual for students like Taisuke to be causing trouble, but well-respected students like Katou and Katsura breaking the rules will raise eyebrows. Our Principal may be quite… progressive, but if the school board strong-arms him, he'll take action."

"Making mountains outta mole hills if you ask me," Sekai says in a carefree way. "If little things like that would draw the school's ire, the student body would've been busted years ago."

"Maybe," I nod, "but we have to prepare for anything. I don't care about the Break Room either way, but I know the school staff would be furious if they found out. And there's no telling what some of us might do…"

I stop walking for a moment.

"And then there are students like Ashikaga…"

"What about him?"

Why is she acting so clueless? "He comes from a very conservative background. If he caught what was going on, he'd report it in an instant."

Sekai smirks. "Not to be mean to Yuuki, but most people think he's a dork. We wouldn't have to worry about any girls trying to bring him in. Besides, everyone's had that thought you just expressed run through their heads at some point. Why do you think he doesn't know already?"

"A perfectly valid point,"

I pick up my pace again.

"But even so… We have to tread lightly. I don't want the Principal to change his mind because of an unexpected scandal."

Taisuke

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

Yeah, it was probably a dumb idea to tell Thing 1 and Thing 2 about my hitting on Hikari. If they flab their gums to the wrong person, I'd be screwed.

But, I was bored, so I figured I'd vent.

"Don't act like it's such a big deal," I chuckle, twisting my finger into my ear drum, "if she was gonna tell someone, she already would've."

"Yeah, but why so quick, man?" Boushi asks. "You ain't got a chance with her now."

"I never had one," I throw my head against the wall, "she's hated me since we were kids. But she's pretty hot now, so I was hoping I could sneak a better look at her. My bad."

"You heard about what happened with Katsura, right?" Juugo reminds me, a scowl on his face, "the Principal will be watching guys like us. Unless you know no one's looking, keep your hands to yourself."

"I know, I know," I grimace, "you guys are so paranoid."

"Man, we don't keep our pot smokin' to night 'cause we want to." Boushi frowns, wiping a brown patch of dust off his kneecap, "you pull stunts like this with the sun out, and you're bound to get caught."

"You kidding?" I grin. "The Principal's a wuss. If I knifed Yuuki in front of him, he'd say I was mentally unstable, suspend me for a few weeks at most."

"Really?" Juugo raises his eyebrow.

"Really."

"Well if that's the case, who's next on your hit parade?" Juugo drones sarcastically.

I shrug. "Don't know yet. I'll just have to wait and see."

Juugo winces in response.

Makoto

12:40

She still hasn't responded to my last text.

I need some kind of company. As conflicted as I've been, hanging out with Kotonoha has made me feel at ease. With all this awkward stuff popping up everywhere, she was a source of consistency.

Now that she's gone, I'm not sure where to go.

I didn't feel comfortable hanging out with Sekai after the feelings I've wrestled with lately, so I got out before she could protest. Hanging out with Taisuke is just asking for trouble, and there really isn't anyone else I feel comfortable talking to.

C'mon, Otome… Send something back!

Bzz.

A text. I snatch the phone from my pocket and check the text.

August 24, Thursday, 12:40 PM

From: Katou, Otome

To: Itou, Makoto

Re: Subject: Hey

"It's lunch, right? Can I call you?"

My face turns red.

"Sure. Go ahead,"

Ring.

Doing my best to block out the cafeteria noise around me, I bring the phone to my ear.

"Hey, Katou,"

"Don't be silly, Makoto. It's just weird to hear you call me that."

"Sorry," I chuckle, "Otome-chan,"

"Now, that's way too cutesy."

"Then, you should've specified better," I smirk.

"How have things been at school?"

"Okay, I guess," I shrug, "but I don't like feeling so uncertain. I know there's all this stuff going on right under my nose that I know nothing about. What if someone's out to get me…?"

"Someone as ordinary as you? C'mon, don't be silly,"

"I don't know," Ashikaga seemed awfully interested after he heard I was going out with Kotonoha-chan.

"Hey, don't worry about it. High school's weird enough as it is. After a little while, you've just gotta learn to roll with it."

"I guess you're right," I sigh, "I'll try to calm down."

"Good."

A conversation stalls for a few seconds.

"So, how are things at home?"

"Not too bad. I kinda miss school, though. Worse, I've spent pretty much the entire homework doing homework."

"Blech," I nod, "the curriculum in this school is a pain in the ass."

"I didn't know you were so vulgar, Makoto,"

"You bring that side of me out," I laugh."

"I don't blame you… So… Do you have anything going on after school?"

"No," I shake my head, "it's not like Kotonoha's mom would let me go out with her after what happened."

The voice on the other line pauses. "What's up?"

"Would you like to come over to my house?"

"Huh?"

I move back a little.

"Not like that, dummy. My dad'll be home by then."

"Yeah, but… What if someone finds out?"

"People don't watch you every second of the day, Makoto. Besides, it's just like we were in middle school."

"That's different," I scratch my chin nervously, "you're cuter now."

A guffaw comes from the receiver.

"Did you really just let that slip out?"

"Shut up," I complain, "isn't it alright for a guy to be honest?"

"Not when he has a girlfriend."

Another pause. Taking a deep breath, I bring the phone closer to my mouth so I can whisper.

"What happened between you and Kotonoha?"

"…"

"Otome."

"Nothing. Really. There's just something about her I don't like."

"She's so nice, though. How can you hate her?"

"She's too perfect, Makoto. I've never seen someone so perfectly nice."

I frown. "And you said I'm the paranoid one?"

"I'll fully admit I have my faults. Tell you what; if you can tell me a time when she wasn't so prim, proper, and humble, I'll stop harboring suspicions."

I think over her question for a long time. Finally, I come up with something.

"I've got it,"

"What?"

"Yesterday," I close my eyes thoughtfully, "if she were as perfect as you said she was, she wouldn't have lashed out like she did. I think that proves she has base instincts just like the rest of us."

"Yeah, but…"

"Otome," I sigh, "I don't know what's going on, but I don't want you to be so mean to her. She's a friend of mine, and you have to accept that."

"Give me time. I'm not used to change."

"I get that," I lean back in my seat, "but I don't like this kind of thing. You're acting like those guys in middle school who used to pick on the girl with the pretty red bow."

"No I'm not," She chuckles.

"What's the difference?" I shoot back.

"By your own admission, I'm cuter than they are."

"Stop that!" I yell back, causing her to break out into full-out laughter.

"You're way too easy, Makoto."

"I know, I know."

"So, are we still on for 5:00?"

"I guess so," I shrug, "see you then."

"Bye,"

I flip the phone closed and stuff it in my pocket.

She's annoying, but… She's kinda relaxing, too.

Yuuki

12:30

I'm in a total haze.

I don't wanna apologize to Otome's friends. I don't wanna punch them in the face. I don't wanna distract myself by talking to Roka.

I don't wanna do anything.

I've never been this angry. Never, ever, ever. This morning was the first time I've ever felt so out of control.

As the school bell rings, I'm not compelled to move at all. Roka tries to approach me, but I shut down entirely. She leaves without a word.

Soon enough, the girls come up. They don't address me at first, but Mouri takes the time to say something.

"You're pathetic. Even if I tried to lay out how stupid it was for you try to hit me, you wouldn't move to defend yourself. Worse, you'd probably to try to wholeheartedly apologize."

I say nothing.

"And that would suck," she glares, "because it'd show me how two-faced you are. No matter how much you mess up, no matter how brightly your true colors show, you earn back people's trust by acting all innocent. You're just as bad as Kotonoha Katsura."

She kicks my ankle. "Have fun moping,"

The three walk out the door. A bitter tear stings my eye and slips down my cheek.

The library… I'll be alone there, I know I will.

With everyone else gone to lunch, I stagger out of my classroom. I walk several doors down to my place of solace.

I pull open the door, and I'm shocked to find out Kyouichi is there. He gives me a friendly wave as I take a seat behind the desk.

"You look awful,"

"No, really?"

"Seriously, you look like someone ripped out your heart and cut it into a million tiny pieces."

He leans forward. "What's wrong?"

"Don't you have something better to do?"

"No," he shakes his head, letting his hair fly to and fro, "my girl likes to eat with her friends during lunch. As for me, I've gotta get used to this place. With Kotonoha gone, and you with Sekai, I'm gonna be the caretaker of this place."

I raise my eyebrow. "You're kidding,"

"Hey," he puts a hand to his heart, "I'll be here the whole club period. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle—"

"I get it," I bury my face in my arms, "I still don't think you're telling the truth, though."

"You know how rarely I promise. If I'm doing it now, you know I'm gonna be here."

"I guess so,"

He lifts up my face with his hand. "But you haven't told me what's really going on. What's got you so down?"

"Everything," I generalize, waving my hands.

"Yeah, you're gonna have to be more specific,"

"Ever since I started dating Sekai, people have been making such a big deal about it. Like, a cute girl like her would never go out with a dork like him. Then, you've got Katsura-san dating that spineless jerk Itou, and the girls picking on me, and—Ugh!"

I hit my head against the back of my chair. As I rub my head to alleviate the soreness, Kyouichi takes a deep breath.

"Whoa," he clicks his tongue, "that's a lot to take in all at once."

"Now you see what I have to deal with," I groan and take a moment to compose myself. "I-I'm sorry, I know I'm not usually this rude."

"Don't sweat the small stuff," he smiles charmingly, "everybody's gotta take a load off and vent once in a while. Even future Saints like you."

"Stop it," I bite my lip, "I've got a long way to go on that front anyway."

He grabs a chair from a nearby table and pulls it to the counter I'm behind. He plops down and meets my eyes.

"Which of those things really bothers you? Like, you can't live another second having the thought roll through your head."

"Definitely Katou-san's friends," I frown, "I mean, they flipped out on me when I tried to act how Katsura-san was doing after what happened at the pool. I know I'm a bit biased, but can you blame me? Katou-san isn't a nice person by any stretch of the imagination."

"So, what did you do?"

"They started berating me for taking her side, and I tried to defend her. Before I knew it, we got in a shouting match, and then I tried to punch one of them."

"Which one?" He asks.

"I don't remember," I sigh.

He chuckles. "It does feel like they're interchangeable."

"I know I should apologize to them, but I don't really want to. Any decent person wouldn't pick on Katsura-san like they do. I mean, she's so nice and friendly. They're just jealous because she's prettier than they are."

"Whoa, man, hold hour horses," Kyouichi laughs, "ain't that a little bit cruel?"

I cross my arms. "I think it's just the right amount of nastiness."

"They've really got it in for her, huh?" He stares distantly at a nearby row of books. "I talked to her a couple of times when she was on librarian duty. She had that vaguely melancholy look. I'm guessing people like Katou's posse are the cause."

"Definitely," I reassert. "But there's no good way to control them. It's not like you can dictate their every move,"

"True," Kyouichi nods, "but one thing's for sure; being pissed at them isn't a bad thing. Not only do they deserve it, but it also gives you the motivation to make sure they quit hurting Katsura-san."

"Really?" I quirk my lips. "It wouldn't be very Christian of me."

"Hey, the Crusades were violent and at least partially motivated by anger. Why can't this lead to good, too?"

He pulls his lunch out of his snack bag.

"You brought lunch today?"

"I figured I'd take a break from the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria," he leans back in his chair, "'sides, my little sister was begging me to take it with me. It's overstuffed, so you can have the other half."

"Thanks," I take my portion and bite into a well-cooked bagel. "This is good. She made these herself?"

"Yeeep, Kyomi's quite the chef,"

He wolfs down the rest of his food. "I just wish she wasn't so overbearing."

"I think that's a good thing," I retort, "it means that she likes you."

"And how's that?"

"Because if it means something else," I swallow, "then, I'm pretty sure my sister hates me."

Hikari

12:35

"Hey guys!"

I wave over Setsuna and Sekai to our usual table. Since they've already got sandwiches on their platter, there's no reason they shouldn't come over.

Beside me, Nanami is lost in her own little world. I know they say most girls aren't perverts, but I'm pretty sure she must be thinking up an erotic fantasy about what she and Kyouichi are gonna do in the Break Room.

Ugh, just thinking about it is weird, especially considering her taste in porn.

For someone so tough and confident in her skill on the court, she's pretty flippant when it comes to men. I mean, c'mon, I know he's pretty, but shouldn't you go for someone more stable?

Maybe she likes the thrills…? I dunno.

"Hey, Hikari!" Sekai smiles as she takes a seat at the opposite side of the table. Setsuna sits beside me.

"Hey, Sekai," I look around the table. "Where's Yuuki?"

"He wasn't in his classroom," Setsuna explains.

"Yeah," Sekai frowns, "I guess he had somewhere to be."

"Huh," I cross my arms, "I didn't know Yuuki was so impolite. Why don't you call and ask him?"

"How?" Sekai blinks a couple times.

"Um… Your cellphone?" I point to her skirt pocket. "It's something you use to talk to people who are far away."

"Calm down, smart-ass," she laughs, "I didn't know his number until very recently."

"It's still a bizarre oversight," Setsuna chimes in before turning her head to Nanami. "Nanami, don't have imagine sex while you're in public."

"What?"

She says, still in her trance. It's our collective laughter that breaks her out of it.

"Hey, shut up," she snaps in her usual temperament, "you'd be just like me if you were in my shoes."

"Yeah right," I snort, "I'd be way cooler about it."

"Really?" Nanami smirks in disbelief."

"Really," I close my eyes wistfully. "If a guy asked me to the Break Room, I'd wait until we were done talking, rush to the bathroom, and dance like my mom does when she thinks she's won the lottery."

Sekai has bug eyes. Setsuna's eyes narrow.

"What kind of dance is she talking about?" The stoic girl asks.

"You don't wanna know," Sekai slaps her hands against her face, "Hikari, why did you have to put that image in my head?"

"Hey, it could be worse," I raise my hands up, "I could be talking about the way she hits on—"

"Eww," Nanami drones, "we must be bored if we're talking about our parents' sex lives."

"Who votes that we change the topic?" Setsuna offers.

"Aw, c'mon guys, it's actually pretty—"

Three synchronized hands raise.

"Aw… Fine…"

I glance over at Sekai. "Can you believe it's only two more days 'till the Festival?"

"I know, right?" Sekai sighs. "Time flies when you have exams at the beginning of the week."

"I think we're making great progress on the preparations," I smirk, "we're lucky to have a good and faithful servant in Yuuki. Otherwise, we might be pressed for time."

I meet Sekai's gaze. "You will make sure he gets out of his funk in time for the club, right?"

"Wait," she giggles, "how do we even know he's in a bad mood?"

"Think about it; if he's not strapped to your shoulder like he's been all the time lately, than he must be on his own. And if Yuuki's on his own, it means he's depressed."

I look up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Remember, I used to know this guy like the back of my hand. You could always tell when the guy was in a bad mood."

"Well, I don't think he's totally alone,"

We all turn towards Nanami.

"I heard Kyouichi tell me this morning before class that he'd be hanging out in the library during lunch period. Yuuki probably just went there to talk to him."

"He'd be better off alone," Setsuna whispers.

"What was that?" Nanami frowns.

"Nothing," Setsuna closes her eyes and takes a bite of the anpan in front of her.

Chie

12:35 PM

"What's wrong, Chi-chan?"

Ion, Youka, and I are eating in our usual spot next to the bathrooms in the school gymnasium. Normally, I'd be peppier, especially with the Festival right around the corner, but something's been bugging me.

Yuuki…

Wednesday

7:25 PM

I knew something was wrong when he threw the door open.

I was getting myself a thing of pre-made ramen when he came in, so I heard him right away. Unlike every other time he's come through that door, he didn't say a word. Even when no one's in the house, he's always said that he says 'I'm home' anyways, just in case someone's already inside.

What happened…?

"Hey, Yuuki,"

He stopped on the second step. "Oh, hey Chie. What's up?"

This wasn't Yuuki.

"How was your date with Sekai?"

Sighing, he leaned on his arms. "Not as well as I would've hoped.

"Well, what went wrong?"

He bit his lip. For a minute, I thought he was going to tell me.

But he didn't. Instead, he shrugged and went to his room. He locked the door behind me to make sure I couldn't get in.

Thursday

12:45 PM

He hasn't spoken to me since. All I know is that he woke up earlier than I did.

It wasn't until I got here that I realized what happened.

Otome and Kotonoha got in a bad fight: a really bad fight. So bad that the Principal suspended them two days for it.

Obviously, he'd side with Kotonoha… Otome's not mean, but she's not the kind of person Yuuki would gravitate to…

"Chi-chan! Wake up,"

"Huh?"

I turn to Youka and Ion's curious faces.

"What's got you in la-la land?"

"You do seem far more detached than you normally are," Ion observes.

I chuckle. "What are you two talking about? It's nothing. I just got lost in thought, that's all."

"Are you worrying about your kid brother?" Ion sighs.

"N-no, don't be silly," I turn around, "he's old enough to take care of himself."

"Well, if you know that, why do you keep bugging him?"

"You don't get it," I snap at Youka, "he's a newbie at this whole high school thing. If someone like Otome started hating him, who knows what kind of trouble he might get into."

"I don't see that as likely," Ion quirks her lips, "from the couple times I've talked to Yuuki, he seems a very responsible and straight-forward man. I think it would be difficult to find much fault with him."

I promised.

I gulp.

"I-I get that, but… he hasn't been that off in a while. I knew high school would be hard for him, but… It's looking to be a bigger hill for him than he thought."

"You're acting silly, Chie," Youka laughs, "I mean, he's got Sekai for a girlfriend. How sad could he be?"

Sekai

2:33 PM

Classes done for the day, I decide to check up on Yuuki. I still don't think Hikari's hunch was right, but if she was, I'd know exactly why he was depressed.

I noticed how odd he'd acted about the fight Otome and Kotonoha have. While Otome can be kind of a jerk, I was shocked to see how biased he was.

I mean… Kotonoha's the one who scratched her neck.

There's gotta be a reason he acted so judgmental towards her. If only I could remember…

I ponder this as I pull open the door to his classroom. Yuuki's looking a more upbeat than before, packing his bag at a faster than average rate.

"Hey, Yuuki,"

He turns around and smiles. "Hi Sekai,"

"Ready to head to the clubroom?"

He stares down at Otome's posse for a moment, and then nods. "Yeah, let's go."

He follows me down the hallway quietly for a little while. I elect to speak first.

"So… You doing okay?"

"What do you mean?" He asks innocently. "I'm doing alright,"

"Well… You seemed pretty down earlier," I assess, "and when I went to ask if you wanted to have lunch with us, you weren't there."

"Oh," he chuckles, "that's because I was hanging out with Kyouichi in the lunch room."

'He'd be better off alone' I restrain a giggle.

"What?" He blinks."

"Nah," I beam, "I was just remembering something Setsuna said about Kyouichi."

"This could be good," he puts his hands on his hips, "what did she say?"

"We were trying to figure out why you were gone," I explain, "and Nanami said you were fine because you were hanging out with Kyouichi. That's when Setsuna said 'He'd be better off alone'."

Yuuki laughs, wiping a tear from behind his glasses. "That sounds like Kiyoura-san, alright."

"Yeah, it was even better when she said it,"

I look down the hallway. "But seriously, were you upset about something?"

"Um…" Sweat peels down his cheeks. There's obviously something he's not telling me, but I can't figure out what. "I was getting worked up about what happened between Katsura-san and Katou-san. I couldn't figure out how to deal with how angry I felt, so I thought it'd be better to eat with Kyouichi."

He eases up, but only a little. He must be telling a half-truth.

"Is that really all there is?"

I stop moving. Instinctively, I hold his hand and direct his gaze towards me.

"If something happened, you can tell me. I won't judge."

His eyes turn to the floor for a while. Under his bangs, I can tell he's blushing. I should probably let go of his hand, but I don't really want to. It's more comfortable this way.

Suddenly, he bites his lip, and his standard smile returns.

"N-no, that's all there was,"

He laughs a little. "I was just remembering how stressed I felt. Otome's friends were acting like jerks in the classroom, and I felt mad at them for it. I wasn't sure how to feel about it at first, but then I realized it's okay to get angry."

He looks at me. "I mean, no one can be perfectly calm every single second, right?"

There's something about this that sounds off, but I don't want to ruin his good mood. Besides, if he is telling the whole truth, I'd be suspecting him for no good reason.

And this is Yuuki we're talking about. It's only natural for him to get stressed out over something silly like this.

"Got it," I smile, "it's just like you to worry about something like that."

We still haven't picked up walking again. My hand is still caught firmly in his. Even I'm starting to get a little embarrassed.

"Um… Sekai…?"

Slowly, he angles his body in my direction. His bright auburn eyes try their best to face me.

"What's up?" I do my best to be casual to ease his spirits. I'm not sure what he's going to say, but… I have a feeling he might be…

"I… I need to tell you something,"

He shakes his head. "I-If you don't want to, I-I understand. I mean, considering the background of all this, it'd be kind of odd to… I mean, under the circumstances… Do you get what I'm saying?"

I close my eyes and laugh, prompting another blush from him. "I'm sorry, Yuuki, but I have no idea what you're trying to say."

"I've realized that I need to be a little more decisive about what I want. I've been wavering too much lately. I think it's okay to trust my feelings."

He quirks his lips. "I mean, I haven't been very devout recently, but I do love God. If I follow him, I know I'll be doing the right thing."

Gradually, his spare hand takes mine, and his fingers curl into my palm. We're facing each other straight on. I do my best to look composed, but even I'm starting to get a little uneasy.

It's obvious what he's doing now… I mean… I'd thought a little about it, but… I wasn't sure he—

"What I'm trying to say is this," he sighs, a look of honesty passing over his face. "I love you, Saionji Sekai."

My whole face goes red. It would have been easier to take if he was less direct, but you couldn't be any more straightforward than he was just now.

"You can say 'no' if you want," he narrows his eyebrows, "but it won't change how I feel."

My hands are coldand sweaty. He must really be worrying about what my answer will be.

I want to say 'yes'. I hadn't taken the time to think about asking him, but I have started to notice him more than I had before. It would also make the façade a bit easier to keep up.

Actually, it wouldn't be much of a façade if we did this, would it?

This scares me. I know I'm being indecisive, but it's such a big change. I could always tell myself before that we weren't going out for real, but this is different. With this, we'd be making a commitment to each other.

He'd be my first boyfriend… I have to think about if I really want to do this.

"Y-Yuuki," I nibble on my bottom lip, tightening my grip on his hands. "Th-thank you for telling me. I… I'm sorry I'm not getting this out well, but… I'm just not sure if—"

"I understand," he nods, "it was a dumb thing to bring up all of a sudden."

Don't say it like that, dummy. You'll make me feel bad.

"Let's head to the clubroom," he turns his eyes to the end of the hall, "I'm sure Kuroda is wondering where we are."

Why is he so okay with it? He's not crushed or anything, and somehow, that's making me feel even guiltier.

Sekai… What are you really waiting for? I mean, you've given up on Makoto, right..? What's stopping you?

I clench my fist.

It's like he said. You've been way too indecisive yourself. You kept Makoto in your pocket for far too long. Now it's time to end it for good.

I snatch the phone from my pocket and flip open my cell. The candid photo of Makoto is still there.

Delete it.

"Yuuki?"

I synchronize my words to the moment I delete the picture.

"Sekai?" He watches silently asI grab hold of his hands again.

"You're not the only one who could stand to be a little more decisive,"

I kiss him. Pulling his body close to mine, I put everything I have into the kiss. Trapped by my subconscious desires, I start to slip my tongue in between his teeth.

Out of breath, I pull away. Yuuki's face is lava red.

"I-I'm sorry," I hastily apologize, trying to catch my breath. "I know I went a little too—"

"Don't apologize,"

I stare at him in shock. Oh my gosh. He's so cute when he says it like this.

"I know it sounds weird, but… I actually liked it… a lot."

He hugs me tenderly. "Can… Can we do it again?"

It only takes a second for us to lock lips once again.