The sky was blue, very few clouds danced across the clear atmosphere, and Nishikata was once again walking back from school with none other then Takagi. Their new seating arrangements luckily kept the pair close together. Nishikata was glad, really glad. He hadn't realized just how...important...it was for him to be able to sit next to her. He had thought she made his life a living hell - nothing but constant teasing, but he realized that he had grown fond of it. He assumed it was similar to how a drug addict kept taking a drug, even thought it made them feel bad. They just couldn't get enough. Was he...addicted to Takagi? NO! No, no, no...

The day, other then that, had been rather uneventful. Just some light teasing by Takagi, a few rumors of them dating (which admittedly freaked him out a bit), and common chat with his friends. He smiled to himself as he mentally counted how many push-ups he would have to do tonight - only around 35. Not bad.

He peered over to Takagi, who had been eerily silent for most of the walk back. Her smile seemed...a little off? That's the best he could put it. She turned her head and met his gaze, his eyes widened slightly at the small smirk she gave in return.

Takagi peered at the startled boy, "Whatcha looking at Nishikata?"

He jumped back slightly, "Wha-? N-Nothing!"

Her eyes danced from his face to her bike, and with one final smirk - she won once more, "You're thinking something pervy, aren't you."

The boy's young face exploded with red and he physically jumped back from her, "WHAT!? NO I WAS NOT!"

Before he could realize that this was simply another one of Takagi's famous teases - a burst of laughter erupted from the girl. Tears rimmed her eyes as she doubled over in giggles.

"Takagi-saaaaan!" Nishikata whined as he watched her laugh at his expense, "That is not funny!"

Takagi simply continued to laugh and wipe her tears of joy from her face - after a few seconds she continued walking, leaving Nishikata behind a few feet.

Before he ran to catch up to her, he took a deep breath trying to calm himself. Like that would actually help - shaking off the embarrassment he jogged to meet Takagi's pace. That's an added couple of push-ups for tonight...39 now. His small scowl didn't leave, but it did lessen as he saw Takagi's face had now grown much brighter then before. It was odd, before she was smiling and now she was smiling the same way. But then...what was different? Was it less fake? Possibly. Did that mean she was putting on a face for him earlier?

He watched her much more discreetly this time, and he noticed how her lips curved. Her smile was more radiant then before, it seemed like she genuinely wanted to smile. Was it because of her teasing? His eyes glanced over her features one last time before shifted his gaze to the road ahead, he guessed she really did enjoy teasing him. It would explain her sudden mood shift - was he being creepy? Noticing her small details, even noticing her fake smiles?

No...they were just close. Anyone would notice if they spent enough time together, right?

He decided that it didn't matter, as long as Takagi didn't know about his "odd" behavior then it was all fine. Anyways, she was feeling better? Hopefully he was right about that. He supposed that if what it took to make Takagi feel better was him suffering more teasing...he would gladly do it.

"Say, Nishikata - are you going on the field trip in two days? They say we are going camping for three days!" Takagi beamed at the boy - he was happy she was talking again.

He pondered the question, "Um, Yah I guess. I didn't know we had a field trip, I'm sure my mom will let me go."

Takagi nodded and looked ahead, "Well, we're getting the take home slips tomorrow in class - I'm sure it will be fun!"

"Yah," he nodded with a smile, he noticed the turn coming up in the road, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

The girl hopped on her bike and nodded, her smile not faltering, "See you tomorrow Nishikata!"

17...

18...

19...

20...

Nishikata closed his eyes as he rounded his last small set of push-ups for the night. It was really late, but he hadn't been assigned much homework that day and he was...well, bored.

So bored in fact, by the time he hit his 39 push-ups, he decided he would do some more. Maybe 49.

As he blew past that number, the boy simply continued to do more,

55...

...

65...

...

70...

...

His arms started to give out at around 73, he guessed he had enough for the night. Collapsing to the floor, Nishikata simply layed there for a while. That little burst of energy just made him do almost twice the amount he was supposed to do..maybe he was getting stronger.

Finally sitting up to his knees, his eyes glanced to his desk where a familiar buzzing noise rang through the oak wood.

He got up to get it, assuming it was Takao or maybe Nakai sending their group chat some funny internet video they had found that day. He welcomed the much needed distraction. If he wasn't careful he'd end up doing push-ups all night.

He looked at the message and to his surprise it was none of the boys, in fact - it was Takagi.

'Hm, wonder what she would want at this hour'

Swiping open his device, he navigated to his messages app and tapped it. He swiped over to Takagi's profile to find her sent message.

Takagi: Love You!

Nishikata's entire body froze - he dropped his phone and collapsed back on to his floor. W-WHAT!?

Over at Takagi's House

"Takagi dear! Please remember to text your father good luck on his trip to Tokyo!"

"I will Mom!"

Takagi walked over to her dresser, finding her previously discarded phone and unlocking the device. She quickly swiped to her fathers number and texted him a nice message about how she will miss him and to have luck with his business meetings.

She had been rather bummed out today, as her father had left while she was at school to go on a week long business trip to Tokyo. Teasing Nishikata helped - but it was still not fun to learn he had left without her saying goodbye. And of course he was on a plane so she could not even call him. Texting would be fine however.

As she finished her message, Takagi pressed send and then closed her phone.

'Oops, almost forgot.'

She opened her message app quickly, pressed on her fathers name and typed two more words,

Takagi: Love You!

The girl tossed her phone on her bed before walking over to the bathroom- she supposed a shower might be nice right now.

Back at Nishikata's

Nishikata had officially lost his mind.

WHAT DID THIS MEAN! Was she just teasing him again? Or was she being serious? HOW WAS HE SUPPOSED TO RESPOND TO THAT!

The boy paced around his room like a patient at a mental hospital. How was he supposed to just let this one go. She had teased him before about liking him, only to say that was a lie! She had done many teases like that but THIS?

He smacked himself (a little too hard) and winced at the pain.

'Pull it together Nishikata! This might be exactly what she wants to be happening!'

He shook himself one last time before walking back over to the phone. This had to be some kind of mistake - even if it were true, why would she do it over text!? Why without any prior statement? Why did she just text a quick 'Love you!' and not something more? They hadn't even been talking over text!

His hands shakily grabbed the phone, and he went to type,

'Come on Nishikata, you can do this - just something simple. Don't take it too seriously, this was all probably a big misunderstanding. That or she's teasing me...oh god...'

Nishikata: ...?

The boys finger hovered over the send button - he took a deep breath, pressed send, and then threw his phone on his bed in a scared manner.

Why did this girl have to be so confusing?!

30 minutes later at Takagi's

Brushing her hair out of her face, Takagi walked back into her room feeling fully refreshed. She smiled as she flopped down onto her bed, picking up her phone in the process.

'A text from Nishikata huh? How bold of him'

She tapped her messages app to see her awaited message, before her entire face went red. SHE HAD SENT THAT TO NISHIKATA BY ACCIDENT!?

After throwing her phone back on her bed, it took a mere 15 seconds for the girl to calm down. She had a good rein on her emotions when she was around Nishikata, but there was no reason to hold back when she was alone. And she did not hold back.

Shaking her head, the girl focused. This might actually be a good thing. She peaked at her phone once more and saw that Nishikata had reacted more calmly then she expected. A simple question mark in response.

Now, she could be nice and simply explain how she meant that for her father. But why let such a golden opportunity to tease Nishikata slip through her fingers?

Takagi: That's...it?

Nishikata actually screamed out loud - WHAT ELSE DID SHE WANT HIM TO SAY?! Ok, this had to be teasing...right?!

Nishikata: Um...what do you mean?

Takagi: Oh, just thought you would say something...more.

Oh she was evil, she knew it. Nishikata was freaking out right now and all she could do was giggle at that fact.

Was she being a bit too much? Nah.

Nishikata: Uhm...Takagi this isn't you teasing me is it?

Takagi decided to say silent after that last message. She thought it would be better to let it all sit for a minute...

...that was until her phone started to ring.

It was Nishikata.

Answering the phone, the girl couldn't help but let out a few giggles at the boys tone.

"T-T-Takagi-san! You're teasing me aren't you?"

With that the girl burst out in a fit of laughter, causing Nishikata to nearly blow a gasket.

"That isn't funny Takagi-san!"

"Ok...yah...see you tomorrow Takagi-san, goodnight."

Nishikata hung up the phone and layed back on his bed, his face still lingering from his heavy blush. That Takagi-San! She had meant to sent it to her father but accidentally clicked his name!

He rolled his eyes at himself, he should have known. He did know, he called it out himself! He needed to get her back tomorrow - or at least before the field trip this weekend. It would be nice to start it off on a win.