"Hey, Takagi-san. Let's have a contest," Nishikata invited with a mischievous smile. "I finally realized how to finally beat Takagi-san. It might be difficult to pull off, but I will not lose this time!"

"Oh? It has been a while since you invited me to a contest," Takagi said with a surprise face. "And it seems like you have something in mind that would beat me, hmm?"

Nishikata made a smug smile and looked sharply at Takagi. "It will definitely make you feel embarrassed this time."

She then changed her expression into a sly smile and said, "Well, I am looking forward to it," and she brought her face closer to his and continued, "...especially since the last time you almost beat me, I'm really looking forward to it."

"I DEFINITELY BEAT YOU THAT TIME," Nishikata protested with an embarrassed face, and Takagi laughed at his expression. "Darn. It's unfair that Takagi-san can use that against me."

"There wasn't even a competition at that time, so it doesn't count."

"Still!" As Nishikata protested, Takagi just snickered and Nishikata became annoyed to say the least.

Noticing Nishikata's expression, she followed up the conversation with a smile and asked him. "Do you still remember that time?"

"Which one?"

"When you almost beat me?"

"How can I forget," Nishikata said with an annoyed yet embarrassed face. "I was the one that started it."

Nishikata then turned back to thinking. "Which is exactly why I'm gonna do it again! I almost beat her that time, but this time she won't expect it. I have been thinking about it for a while, and I have been preparing for it. Takagi-san might be able to make me blush by teasing me, but she definitely won't get me with compliments," Nishikata thought while grinning with such fierce intent.

"Let's stop by that vacant lot."

"Oh? So you do remember," Takagi said as she grinned with a teasing intent at Nishikata.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"

After buying drinks on the vending machine, they settled down on the vacant lot. They placed their bags on the ground and faced each other. Nishikata began executing his plan.

"Alright, we will play the 'compliment game'!"

"Compliment game?"

"Basically, we just have to say compliments to each other. However, if a compliment is being said to you, you must not react in anyway, and that you must only reply back with another compliment. First one to break, loses."

"Oh," Takagi exclaimed as she quickly understood the game. She also understood Nishikata's plan on the fly and pointed it out to him with a sly smile.

"You're thinking that far back, aren't you?"

Nishikata didn't get the fact that Takagi already knows his plan, so he just refused it. "N-No! That's not it."

"Isn't this game a little disadvantageous for you? I mean between us, you get into more trouble than I do for reacting so hilariously," Takagi said as she giggled at the end.

"Heh, we'll see about that," Nishikata said as he crossed his arms and gave a smug smirk.

"Ooo, I see you're confident about this," Takagi said with an even slyer smile. "…but we have to decide who gets to compliment first, do we?"

"Oh, right."

They settled it with Rock, Papers, Scissors. Of course, naturally, Takagi won so she'll start to give compliments.

"You might be teasing me every day, Takagi-san, but today I won't falter," Nishikata said grinning towards Takagi. With a plan in mind, Takagi somehow pointed out again that she knows his plan.

"Before we begin, what was that you were about to ask me back then?"

This caught Nishikata off-guard because he wasn't expecting Takagi to bring it up again. Takagi took a step closer towards Nishikata.

"Do I think you look handsome back then, Nishikata?"

"WHAT? SHE STILL REMEMBERS THAT? WAIT…DID SHE FIGURE OUT MY PLAN," Nishikata thought in a panic, but the boy tried to remain as calm as possible as Takagi is slowly walking closer to Nishikata. He gathered any semblance of confidence he can get to prepare for Takagi's next words.

"Because if that's it," She said while closing the gap between their bodies. "You look handsome today, Nishikata," Takagi said as she moved her face towards Nishikata, almost touching each other's noses.

Nishikita expected that already...but he can't fight it. Even if he's been thinking about it a lot, it really hits differently when Takagi says it. Because of this, he was so flushed that he jumped back and covered his face again. This made Takagi laugh so hard that she fell to the ground. "CRAP! I STILL FELL FOR IT!"

"Well, it looks like I win again," Takagi said as soon as she calmed down. Nishikata is still embarrassed by his confidence which led to his defeat that he didn't reply to Takagi's remarks.

"…yeah. I guess you win this time."

"Oh? Giving up already," Takagi asked with a sort of surprised face, but she bend her body towards Nishikata and teased him. "…or did you get the compliment that you want to hear?"

"THAT'S NOT IT!"

Takagi giggled and regained her posture. "You know, if you want me to compliment you, you don't have to make a game out of it."

"I SAID THAT'S NOT IT."

After a few teasing from Takagi, they continued walking home. Nishikata is still silent because of his embarrassment, plus he's holding Takagi's hand at the same time. He's looking away from Takagi because of what happened. Takagi realized this and confronted Nishikata.

"You're thinking that far back aren't you?"

Nishikata was surprised at first, but then he conceded to what Takagi just said.

"Uh…yeah."

"Oh, so I'm right all along," Takagi said with a short giggle.

"Darn it…"

Takagi then became silent, too. Suddenly, she stopped walking which prompted Nishikata to do the same. "Huh," Nishikata exclaimed in confusion as he looked to Takagi to check what's wrong.

"Finally, you looked," Takagi said as she felt Nishikata looking at her. She then looked at him, and she put her free hand on his face, trying to comfort him.

"You don't have to be embarrassed about it, you know?"

Nishikata made a surprised expression again, but realizing Takagi's hand and words, he let down his guard.

"…I guess I shouldn't," Nishikata said as he smiled as well.

Takagi successfully made him feel better. She smiled and turned towards their path. They continued walking for a while until Takagi broke the silence. "Although I don't see it as the time the you almost beat me."

"Of course, there wasn't a competition to begin with"

Takagi let go of his hands to wrap around her arms with Nishikata, bringing their bodies closer to each other.

"I see it as our first step," Takagi stated, backed up with a smile as she rested her head on Nishikata's shoulder. This put a small blush on Nishikata as he felt a slight increase in his heart rate, but he wasn't embarrassed. "I guess I should just compliment more."

Though he lost today, he felt like he was winning every day because she's on his side.