"Can... can I talk to you about something?"

Sayori sat up, a look of concern flashing across her face. "Are you okay?"

Shin sat up. "Yeah, I'm good, Sayori. I just, um... can we talk inside? I kinda want to be a little more comfortable for this one."

"Yeah, no problem."

Shin helped Sayori up, then through the window before hopping in, flipping on the light and plopping down on his bed. He patted a spot next to him, and Sayori sat down.

"So, um..." he started. "So I guess I wanted... um, to talk to you about how... I've been... um, feeling lately? Man, I've done this a million times in my head, you think this would be easier."

"Shin," Sayori tried to reassure her, "it's okay. Whatever this is about, it's obviously hard to talk about, so take your time."

"Thanks, Sayori. God, you're amazing, you know that?" With that, everything just seemed to flow out.

"And, like, you've always been amazing, no matter what. You came into my life just when things were starting to get weird with my mom... I always thought to myself that it was like getting a guardian angel, and when things got bad? No matter what, you were there. You've always been there for me when I needed you the most."

"You've always been there for me, too, Shin."

"Because I'd do anything for you, Sayori."

"I know you would, Shin."

"No, you really don't." He laughed, then stood up and started pacing around. "I mean, I know that you know I care about you, but you have no clue how much. I haven't let you know because I guess I've always been scared, but..." he stopped and faced her. "But you're everything to me, Sayori. I mean, like, everything. My Dad said earlier that it was like I was incomplete without you, and yeah, I agree with that."

"Shin..."

"Please don't stop me now, because I don't know if I'll ever be able to say this again for the first time."

She nodded, a smile on her face and tears beginning to build in her eyes.

"Did you know that you're the first person I think of when I wake up? Or the last person I think of before I go to sleep? That every good dream I have, you're in it? You've given me so much over the years. You've given me not only your friendship, but you've introduced me to the three other best friends I've ever had, Sayori. I kicked and fought and complained the whole time you tried to get me to join the club, and it turns out that this is the second best thing to happen to me... second only to ever meeting you."

By this point, Sayori was weeping tears of joy, but he continued. "I've always been a thick-skulled hard ass to deal with, but that never bothered you, because you saw right through that bullshit, didn't you? No matter how hard I tried to push you away, you wouldn't let me... I guess I did that, because I was always scared of this moment, right now. I was always afraid that if you knew how much I gave a shit, that you'd leave me just like my Mom did, and I'm realizing just how much of a fool I was for ever thinking that." He finally paused to sit next to her and take one of her hands.

"The past few weeks have been the scariest of my life, but in a way I'm almost thankful for them, because it got me to realize just... how much I care about you. I've been trying to run away from it, trying to suppress my feelings, but... fuck, Sayori, I love you."

Shin looked almost surprised when he finally got the words out, but that didn't come close to the bewilderment on Sayori's face.

"Wow," Shin exclaimed, "I guess it's finally out there, huh? I love you, Sayori. I have for years, and my biggest regret right now is not telling you a long time ago."

"...can I speak now?"

Shin laughed. "The floor is yours."

She giggled. "Shin, I... um... wow, you're right, this is hard." She took a deep breath, and Shin waited with bated breath.

"I mean, you're better with words, so I don't know if it's gonna sound as good, but... I love you, too."

"Holy shit, really?"

Sayori busted out laughing. "Yes, silly, why wouldn't I? I mean, everything you said about me? I can say the same about you. Like, I already confessed to you once..."

"So that IS what that was?"

"SHIN, YOU DUMBASS!"

"What the- NATSUKI, HAVE YOU BEEN LISTENING IN THIS WHOLE TIME?!"

"JUST PRETEND I'M NOT HERE, KEEP GOING SAYORI!"

Sayori started laughing. "I'll keep going, but you might as well come in here. I'll probably feel more confident..."

"SAY NO MORE!" Natsuki threw open the door, an ear-to-ear grin plastered across her face, and she sat down in Shin's office chair, intently watching with glee.

Sayori giggled again before she continued talking. "Shin, I've known how I felt about you for a long time, too, but especially after this past few weeks? You saved my life, Shin. You call me a guardian angel, but I would not be here without you, and you've been just the sweetest ever since. You've never gotten upset with me, you've always been so compassionate, so nice, so understanding of everything, and it hasn't been just me. Yuri, Monika, Natsuki, you bend over backwards to make sure we're okay, even when it's at your expense. Sometimes that scares me a little, but I know that it's because you care."

"Sayori, you don't need to worry about me..."

"She's right, Shin." Natsuki chimed in. "But we can talk about that one, later, get back to the cute stuff!"

"Can do!" Sayori giggled, before looking at Shin again, almost nervously. "So... um, yeah, I love you, and I guess you love me... um, whats next?"

Shin smiled. "So, like, I know in all the movies they just go for it, but that seems a little rude for the first time so... um, can I kiss you?"

"Please?" Sayori's eyes filled with stars. Shin gently chuckled before moving forward and pressing his lips against hers. His eyes shot wide when he realized that he was finally kissing her, but they soon closed and the world around him faded away. Her lips were sweet like peaches, and the softest thing he'd ever felt. Shin cradled her silky skin with one hand, his other still intertwined with hers, her free hand softly caressing his chest. After what could have been five seconds or five years, they finally broke away, each drinking in the excitement in relief in the eyes of the other.

"You know, I had a million snarky comments I wanted to make, but that was actually the cutest thing I'd ever fucking seen."

Shin snapped his head around ready to respond with his own snark, but stopped when he saw that Natsuki was legitimately crying, smiling ear to ear, and was being 100 percent genuine in her comment.

"Um, thanks Natsuki..." Shin rubbed the back of his head, laughing. "I guess this probably wouldn't have happened were it not for you."

"Well, if you would have caught on the FIRST time Sayori confessed... seriously, do you have any idea how long it took me to convince her to do that?"

Shin looked over at Sayori, and she blushed. "Well, she IS right..."

"Okay, I'm still new to this whole love thing! Cut me a break, okay?"

Natsuki laughed. "Well, that was super cute, but I wanna do something! You two wanna go downstairs and watch a movie? I promise I won't make fun of you if you cuddle."

Shin turned to Sayori. "Whaddya say? I'll let you pick the movie!"

"...Tangled?"

Shin flashed a massive grin. "I'd love that."

The three went down the stairs and Natsuki plopped right on the couch, but Sayori stopped at the bottom and turned around. "Umm, Shinsuke?"

"What's up?"

"Uh... what are we, now?"

"Oh!" Shin stopped, thought for a moment and smiled a Cheshire grin. "Hey, can you wait right there for just a second?"

"Um, okay..."

"Right, I'll be back in just a second!" Shin bounded out the front door and ran over to one of his neighbors houses, creaking open the gate and moving quickly, yet quietly through their front yard until he got to their garden.

"No, no, no... yes!" He bent down and picked a Starry Night Petunia from the garden. "Sorry, Mrs. Kudo, but you've got 50 more of em'." Once he'd made it out of her yard undetected, he quickly ran back to his house to find a confused Natsuki and a VASTLY more confused Sayori.

"Sorry, wanted to do this right." Shinsuke walked over to Sayori and produced the flower, a gentle smile resting on his face. "Sayori, would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"

"Shin..." Sayori was unable to find the words, so she leaned forward and kissed him, sending a shock throughout his whole body and making his knees weak.

"So that's a yes, I take it?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Oh, jeez," Natsuki groaned, "you two are gonna get gross fast, huh?"

"Nah," Shin laughed, "just in private."

"Shinsuke, I LIVE with you now! I exist just in private!"