A/N: Hello everyone! First of all, I want to apologize for how long it's been since the last "official" update :'( It was really hard for me to get that burst of inspiration to kick off my writing process, so this part took a really long time to come out... Life has been a rollercoaster as well, so that also contributed to my lack of energy to write.

But anyways, onto the story itself! Further ahead, you'll notice Kazuto speaks of a "bet" (you'll know what I'm talking about when you reach that part UwU). However, said bet hasn't been addressed yet, but it'll be included in the next Interlude, along with some of their little escapades during the time skip that happened between the ending of last chapter and the beginning of this one! I'll publish that Interlude soon, since I already have those drabbles written!

Anywho, sorry for this long Author's Note! Without further ado, please enjoy ^_^

CHAPTER 5

He likes watching her through the long mirror opposite his bed.

Or actually, scratch that. It wasn't only through his long mirror – no, he just liked watching her, plain and simple, however and whenever he could, whether it be from across the hallway or from up close in the bedroom.

Asuna, on the other hand… didn't like being watched. Or at least, she claimed so. Whenever he dug his elbow deep into his pillow, propping his chin up on top of his hand so he could look down at her from the side, she'd complain. Sometimes, she wouldn't notice him staring right away, so he'd get the chance to truly take her in, even though by now, he'd already looked at her enough to memorize every single trace of hers. But whenever she'd catch him staring, she'd let out a cute squeal and shove a hand on his face, telling him to stop being a creep and looking at her so intensely. However, the way she'd blush afterwards, the loveliest of roses blossoming on her cheeks, let him know that she wasn't as much bothered as she was flustered by his actions.

Thus, and as to not embarrass her any further, he'd resorted to watching through his mirror. It was a simple way of admiring her for as long as he wanted to while not letting her know of what he was up to. It was a win-win situation, really. Unfortunately, he only had the possibility to do so in his bedroom – in her dorm, while she did have a long mirror as well, it wasn't positioned in the way his was, so he had no way of making proper use of it. And even though he was fully aware of that, he'd frequently find himself looking at the place where his mirror usually is, close to his bed, and end up getting disappointed at the lack of a reflection to gaze upon.

If he were to get asked why he did that… he couldn't tell, because there was no complex reason behind it; there was no malicious thought or ill intent whatsoever. It simply was what it was… and truly, he just liked watching.

Asuna had a way of looking stunning without even trying to. She could be doing something as simple as breathing, yet somehow, she could still make it look beautiful. And he never got tired of looking at her.

As she laid by his side, white sheets pulled up to her chest and closed eyelids fluttering softly as her chest heaved up and down, in a much more controlled manner than that of a few minutes' prior, she still looked exactly the way one would describe an angel. Nothing short of a celestial being, pure and divine. Sometimes, simply touching her terrified him to an unbelievable extent, because part of her just seemed so fragile that he was afraid she would break beneath his fingertips.

The white porcelain of her skin was captivating to the eye and satin-smooth to the touch, a pretty contrast against his own, tanned complexion and rougher form. The delicate curves of her body, hidden beneath his cotton bed sheets, made hourglasses cower in shame. The chestnut color of her hair, that reminded him of everything warm just when the weather started getting a little colder during fall, spread over the white pillow beneath her head like a halo. The cupid's bow of her rosy lips was still slightly swollen from their passionate kissing, a dazzling reminder of their ceaseless love making along with the crimson and purple-ish marks blooming all over her shoulders and collarbones.

In moments like these, when silence was king and their bodies purely rejoiced in the afterglow of being as intimate as two human beings could get, he felt at peace. And for a single, passing moment, he allowed himself to forget the true nature of their relationship.

Not that he was even sure what their relationship was, as of now…

Discarding possibilities was something he wasn't particularly fond of doing, because whenever he tried to understand where they stood, and what they were to each other, he would always come out of it empty-handed.

They were, most definitely, not lovers. They weren't strangers either, though, nor were they acquaintances, for they knew each other better than that… But then again, he's also quite sure she didn't consider him a friend. As such, the term "friends with benefits" couldn't even be used to describe whatever they had going on, for the fundamental factor "friendship" was nowhere to be found.

So… what were they?

What happened at the party, and then two weeks later at the girls' bathroom on campus (which wasn't too much at all, he'd come to find out, since she apparently enjoyed it more than he'd imagined she would), were events that he hadn't planned out beforehand. Both happened naturally, and because the two of them wanted to. They craved each other, and that much was undeniable – but was that truly enough to develop a deeper bond?

Delineating a meticulous set of events that led them to where they were today was practically impossible, because not even he was sure of how it had come to this. Somehow, after those two occasions (which he'd genuinely thought would be the only times he'd ever get to feel her so near), it just… kept on happening. Quite literally. And on campus, of all places.

Every time they had a fight, there always seemed to be an unspoken agreement between them. Whether it was to blow off some steam or simply because their lust for each other screamed louder than all reason, having reached heights beyond anything either of them had ever experienced, he couldn't know. But somehow, and not too long after each argument, they'd find each other on campus. Alone. And they would just… collide. They would automatically reach for the other, stumbling over nothing in their haste to touch and to feel. Panting in a lustful daze as their hands roamed all over each other, kissing and biting and growling and cursing, because fuck, the other exasperated them so freaking much – even if for completely different reasons – yet they couldn't seem to get enough. And then his hands or his mouth or his cock would find her center, or her hands or her mouth or her center would find his cock – and it'd be pure bliss as they sighed and gasped and cried out for the other, trying to keep as quiet as they could in a bathroom, or in a closet, or in a storage room – heck, he'd even had the opportunity to take her in the student council's room (and God, what an experience that whole encounter had been all on its own).

It was both thrilling and terrifying at the same time, because even if it oftentimes seemed like he didn't care, he was still worried sick about her reputation. The last thing he wanted was for her to become tainted because of him – he didn't want anyone to find out about what they were doing on campus, since ultimately, Asuna was supposed to be an example to all students. If they were to be found out… he's not sure what would happen to her, and that scared him way more than anything he could think of that could happen to him.

This fear and uncertainty was what eventually led him to invite her to his apartment for the first time, around two weeks following the start of their little secret meetings. And while she'd been very reticent at first, not sure of how she felt about such "intimacy", as she put it (as if they hadn't been intimate enough already), she'd eventually relented when he explained his reasons. What had made her so flustered at first rapidly became natural, so much so that, at some point, he'd also started visiting her own dorm, whenever Alice wasn't around. The same went for her visiting his place, which only ever happened when Eugeo wasn't home. Although they'd had a few close calls, it was still a much safer option than what they'd been doing before.

Of course, in hindsight, her going over to his was much easier than him going over to hers, since there were many other female students who lived in her building. However, he prided himself in having become a "master of disguise", getting familiar enough with some of their routines (especially the cleaning ladies'), so he'd be able to sneak in and out without anyone seeing him.

This weird settlement between them has been going on for well over a month… and yet, the same question remained unanswered-

"Do you ever wonder what we are?" Asuna breathes, snapping him out of his train of thought. It was almost as if she'd heard what was going through his mind, which makes him flinch in surprise. Turning his dark gaze away from the mirror, he focuses it on her, as hazel blinks up at him curiously.

"Ah, hum…" he can only gape stupidly, at a loss for words for once in his life. He wanted to have the courage to tell her what he wished they were… but the fear of what she may answer in return quickly makes him backtrack. "D-Does it really matter?" he resorts to saying lamely, doing his best to ignore the stutter in his words.

She seems to deflate for a moment, lips pursing as she looks up to the ceiling once more, "I suppose not…"

The urge to kick himself has never been stronger, but going back on his answer was not an option either. So, he stays quiet.

Asuna opens her mouth to speak again, but ends up closing it, then opening it and closing it once more. Then, she settles for, "But I feel like we should establish some kind of… something. We both know we're only in this for sex… but I think we'd rest easier if we had some kind of physical proof, you know?"

Kazuto hadn't even heard her idea yet, but he could tell he wasn't going to like it in the slightest.

"… what do you propose?"

She falls quiet once more, seemingly hesitating for a moment before sitting up on the bed. Kazuto can only watch with a raised eyebrow as she pulls the sheets away from him and wraps them around her body, leaving him completely naked on the bed. Supporting himself on his elbows, his eyes follow her as she walks over to his desk and sits down on his chair, grabbing a blank sheet of paper and a pen.

He doesn't understand what in the world she's doing, but he stays quiet as she scribbles away. Once she's done, she pushes the chair away from the desk and returns to his side, presenting him what she'd written.

"What's this?" he wonders aloud, grabbing it from her.

"It's a contract!" she explains easily.

And his stomach drops.

"O-Oh…"

His throat feels as dry as a desert suddenly, but he forces his eyes to scan over the paper's contents.

~ CONTRACT ~

The terms:

1. Both parties mentioned in this contract are purely involved for the sexual intercourse and only that.

2. We shall refer to this "relationship" as something akin to enemies-with-benefits.

3. No one is to find out of the existence of this contract, let alone of this relationship, no matter what.

4. During these encounters, no deeper feelings are to be involved, as this is merely meant to satiate our sexual needs.

5. If one party breaks any of the terms mentioned above, this contract will be terminated, and the deal is off.

Asuna Yuuki: _ Kazuto Kirigaya: _

"Wow, you… you certainly didn't hold back on the expensive vocabulary, Angel…" he lets out a bark of laughter, as forced as one would expect from someone whose heart had just been discarded onto the floor and stepped on all over mercilessly.

"Since this isn't a real contract, I didn't care much about formalities… I just wrote some terms and voilà! But as long as we take it seriously, it's okay." She retorts, handing him the pen. He stares at her extended hand for a while, biting the inside of his cheek as she promptly encourages him to grab it. He does so with trembling fingers that he tries to disguise under a cool mask, clicking his tongue before winking at her.

"If you wanted an autograph of mine this badly, all you needed to do was ask!" he jokes, but his tone is dry, humorless in a way that was completely astray from his usual self. He wants to keep his poker face on as she pouts and flicks him on the forehead – not too hard to hurt though, and he notices it –, his fingers trying to recall how to properly hold a pen through his bruised heart, that keeps on shriveling and shriveling as the tip of the pen draws closer and closer to the paper.

Its blue ink stains the white, curling up and down and sideways in his typical signature, a clumsy thing that was in no way similar to his usual handwriting. He could simply blame it on the bed, on its uneven surface that didn't allow the pen to flow as smoothly as it should've. But Asuna doesn't ask him for excuses for his shitty signature, so he gives her none.

Retrieving the pen from him, Asuna puts down her own name, a pretty thing with cute twists and turns that could easily rival the most beautiful handwriting in the world. And once more, he's certain that everything about her is resplendent.

But maybe, not everything about him is… because he'd just agreed on signing a contract that he had no way of upholding right off the bat, for its terms had been broken long before they even had a chance to begin.

In his heart, he yearns… because if this was what deciding the meaning of their relationship led to… then he would've preferred to have stayed in oblivion for the remainder of his days.

During the next few days, he barely sees her. With the end of the semester rapidly approaching, she's getting busier, not only with the Student Council but with her own studies as well. He knows it, so he does his best to stay away and give her the space she needs, even if such a feat is much easier said than done.

Kazuto's never been the type to be insecure about himself, much on the contrary. He was someone who oozed confidence and brazenness with an ease that many people often envied. From the way he carried himself to how he interacted with the people around him, he wasn't one to back away from anything or anyone out of self-consciousness. That wasn't something he was used to.

However, that attitude of his changed drastically on the days following the whole contract ordeal. He never imagined he could hate a piece of paper so much, but there he was, loathing one with everything he got. Realizing the kind of relationship that Asuna envisioned them to have made him feel like he didn't even stand a chance with her. He felt so incredibly helpless, the suffocating fear of not being good enough and losing her dragging his mood down.

He sulks around for most of the week, and when the weekend rolls around, he's still in his moody state. He resorts to lazing around on the couch, with sappy movies playing on the TV (and only over his dead body would he ever admit to binge-watching the three "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" movies) as he snacks on whatever his hands can get.

Eugeo passes him by countless times, stops for a moment to stare at his disheveled hair and clothes, and moves on. Only when Saturday's coming to an end does he actually decide that enough is enough and approaches the raven-haired male to slap him across the back of the head out of nowhere. Kazuto sits up with an annoyed grunt, but before he can complain, his best friend beats him to it.

"Are you planning to become one with the couch? Get your ass up and go take a shower." He says, planting his hands on his hips and narrowing his green eyes at the man-turned-baby in front of him.

"I don't feel like it." Kazuto groans back, preparing to lay down once more. However, Eugeo beats him to it and takes hold of his ear before he can.

"I didn't ask if you felt like it. I told you to do it."

"Ow, ow, ow-" Kazuto yelps and Eugeo rolls his eyes.

"Oh, shut it, I'm not even pulling on your ear, drama queen."

Kazuto stops his whines and frowns, resorting to crossing his arms over his chest and his legs on the couch, "What does it even matter…" he mumbles, staring at the floor with a pensive expression.

Eugeo eyes him for a moment, taking note of the discouraged look in his eyes and downward curve of his lips, and slowly lets go of his ear with a sigh.

"I'm not sure what happened, and you don't really have to tell me… but I do know that this isn't like you. Since when do you sulk around instead of actually doing something about what's bothering you? Will you just stay put and let it eat you up on the inside just to regret it in the end, or will you pull yourself together and face what's bothering you head on?"

The raven-haired male flinches at the words but doesn't take his eyes off the carpet underneath their coffee table. When he doesn't get an answer, Eugeo clicks his tongue.

"Just think about it…" he says, squeezing Kazuto's shoulder comfortingly, "I'm going out with Alice for a bit… if you need anything, call me."

With a parting pat on his back, his best friend turns around and walks away. When he hears the front door click closed behind him, Kazuto sags against the couch and leans his head back, staring at the ceiling instead while pondering on what Eugeo had said.

For the nth time since they've been friends, he doesn't know whether to curse or praise the flaxen-haired man's ability to see right through him and read him like an open book. He doesn't need to say anything for Eugeo to understand him… and he's honestly grateful for that. Because he knows his best friend is right. Brooding around while feeling sorry for himself isn't like him at all, and neither is giving up at the first hurdle. He's completely sure about his feelings for Asuna, so he'd be damned if he gave up on them so easily.

The next morning, he wakes up with the birds. It's particularly unusual of him to do so on a Sunday, but he was feeling way too jittery to sleep any longer, and his plans for the day required him to have enough time to prepare.

After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he marches to the kitchen with his phone at hand and facetimes Suguha. He knows she wakes up early every day, even on weekends, so she can train. Thus, it comes as no surprise when she picks up almost immediately.

"Big brother? What are you doing up this early on a Sunday, of all days?" she questions, raising an eyebrow at the camera, "Is everything alright?"

"Good morning, Sugu! Yes, everything is fine. Sorry to bother you so early, but I, uh… I kind of need your help with something…"

That seems to add to her curiosity, "Oh?"

He quickly explains that he wants to prepare a picnic of sorts, but he needs some guidance on what to cook and how to cook it. As he goes through it, he can see Sugu's expression morphing from one of inquisitiveness to one of shock. This new information obviously leaves her flabbergasted, her eyes wide and her mouth dropping open with every word he says. In turn, when he finishes talking and the only thing left on call is a mortifying silence, he can feel his cheeks reddening at her soundless gaping – he knows his little sister is smart, and she'll be able to connect the dots and look at the bigger picture without him ever mentioning who the picnic was for.

"Oh… oh!" she finally utters. There it is. "Of course I'll help you, big brother!"

One of the good things about Sugu is that she can discern what others are feeling quite easily, and after sensing his embarrassment, she doesn't try to pry any further; she merely guides him through things and supervises as he does what he's told. Every now and again, he does catch her giving him knowing smiles, which he does his best to ignore so he won't screw up like an idiot halfway through cutting vegetables or shaping rice balls.

It takes him a long time to cook everything Sugu suggests, but in the end, he's proud of the bento boxes he's able to prepare. He thanks his little sister for her help and promises to take her to their favorite ice cream parlor the next time he goes home to visit as a way of repaying her.

"I can't wait!" she responds, smiling wide, "Have fun on your picnic date!"

"Hey, it's not like th-" he starts saying, but she already hung up. He stares at the phone for a few moments, before shaking his head with a small smile.

After putting everything away in a backpack, including a towel, cups, chopsticks, and other things, he goes to the bathroom to shower. He whistles a tune while shampooing his scalp, and is full-out whisper-singing by the time he's scrubbing his body clean.

When he steps out of the bathtub, he stares at his reflection in the mirror for a few seconds, ruffling his hair into different hairstyles.

"Mmm… bangs? Or no bangs?" he ponders out loud, brushing his fringe down and then parting it up to decide which would look better. After repeating the action a couple of times, he settles on styling it up with some gel to keep the bangs away from his forehead, leaving only a couple of stubborn strands hanging down.

Wandering back to his bedroom, he glances at his phone on the bedside table, pondering if he should call her and give her a heads up or just show up unexpectedly at her door. Upon weighting down the options, he reckons it'll be better if she starts getting ready right away, so he picks up his phone and dials her number.

After four rings, she picks up.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Angel! What are you doing right now?"

He hears shuffling on the other side of the line as she replies, "I'm studying. Finals are almost here, remember?"

"It's kind of hard to forget with everyone panicking on campus," he chuckles, holding the phone between his cheek and shoulder as he sorts through his clothes on the closet, "But listen, I need you to let go of your books and get ready to go somewhere with me. I'll pick you up in 20."

A long silence is all he can hear for the next few seconds, before "Are you insane? No way I'm going out today, I haven't been studying nearly half as much as I should have… I'm behind on all my subjects, I can't afford the luxury to go out and about as you see fit–"

"Hey, hey, hey, calm down! Take a deep breath, will you? You're not going to fail–"

"How can you be so sure?" the way she huffs out the sentence clearly tells him how stressed out she is – and probably has been for the past week. Even more so than he originally thought, which means she really needs a break.

"Because I believe in you," he states, plain and simple, "I believe in you, Angel, so I know you won't fail, no matter what."

She stays quiet for a moment, before saying in a cute squeak, "Even so… I can't meet you today–"

Kazuto interrupts her, pausing his search for the perfect outfit to properly pick up the phone, "I beg to differ, sweetheart. Allow me to revive your memory… I vividly remember something about a bet because someone was too stubborn to admit she couldn't hold her liquor. And I also remember who won said bet, but do you?"

"… where are you trying to go with this?" she sighs.

"I'm just claiming my prize, Angel," he says, matter-of-factly, "The deal was that I'd get to take you out for an entire day if I won, which I did."

Again, all he gets is silence from the other side of the line as he holds his breath in eager anticipation for her answer. When she finally sighs and says "Ugh, fine…", his lips split into a wide, triumphant grin.

"I knew my Angel was a woman of her word!" Kazuto beams, and he can almost feel her rolling her eyes through the phone.

"Can you give me a bit more time though? Half an hour, maybe?"

"Sure, I'll text you when I leave."

"Alright… see you in a bit, then."

She hangs up the call, and he can't stop smiling like an idiot while grabbing a white button shirt and a pair of ripped blue jeans.

He gets dressed, puts on his favorite cologne, and takes one last look at himself in his long mirror. With a satisfied nod, he grabs his leather jacket and both helmets before heading to the kitchen to double check everything.

"I certainly hope I don't regret letting you drag me out of my room when I'm supposed to be studying." is the first thing she says when she approaches him. After parking his motorcycle a couple of apartment buildings down from her dorm (they'd agreed that would be the best place to keep his bike whenever he came over, to avoid any of the other girls seeing and recognizing it), he'd been waiting for her to show up while leaning against it with his arms crossed. When he hears her voice, his head immediately turns in her direction.

She looks beautiful, is the first thing he thinks (though, if he were being honest, that's the first thing he always thinks whenever he sees her).

For an outfit, Asuna had opted for a pair of white jeans and a caramel brown tie crop top, tied into a large ribbon at the front. Hanging from her neck was a simple pendant, and in her wrist a silver watch. She'd curled her hair a bit and let it down, free from her usual hairstyle, and a pair of sunglasses framed her face, hiding her hazel eyes from him.

"I thought you already knew our time is always well-spent when we're together," he grins and shoots her a cheeky wink while reaching for her helmet. She scoffs, finally stopping in front of him.

"I must disagree. It's not well-spent when you're constantly getting on my nerves."

"That's part of my charm, darling," he retorts with a chuckle, placing the pink helmet on her head and clasping it under her chin. He'd bought that specific helmet just for her, so she could ride safely with him, and ever since then, it had become a habit of his to put it on her head and adjust it whenever he drove with her on his bike. He supposes it had become a habit for her as well, since she never complained or tried to do it herself, resorting to staring up at him through her lashes, lips slightly parted in what he viewed as a true challenge to his self-control. It was all he could do not to kiss her in the middle of the street.

"Mmm, I doubt you believe that yourself," she says, re-adjusting her sunglasses after he's done putting on her helmet, "But anyways, where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise," he answers, climbing atop his motorcycle and grabbing his own helmet from the handlebar.

"How can I be sure you're not kidnapping me?" she asks again, but climbs behind him and wraps her arms around his waist despite the nature of her question.

Kazuto laughs at her question as he turns on the bike, "Guess you'll have to wait and see."

It takes them around 30 minutes to arrive at their destination, and another 15 minutes for them to venture through the vegetation and walk to the exact place. Kazuto had been afraid Asuna would object to walking down that path, especially since she'd dressed up and had white jeans on, but she doesn't speak a word against it. Instead, they walk in companiable silence, with him offering his hand to her occasionally, so he could help her whenever there was an obstacle on the way.

When they're almost there, Kazuto stops and asks her to wait for him for a bit. She seems reluctant at first, but then just nods and tells him to hurry. With a smile and a promise to return soon, he dashes to the exact place he had in mind and quickly works to set everything up.

He spreads out the picnic towel under a big tree and takes out the bento boxes, drinks, cups, chopsticks, and napkins from his backpack, putting them down on the red and white checkered cloth. He hadn't had enough space to bring things to decorate the place, so he resorts to picking up some daisies nearby and placing them at the very center.

Once he's satisfied with the setting, he makes his way back to her.

"Okay Angel, all done. Now you'll have to close your eyes for me," he instructs, getting behind her. Before she can turn around to face him, he places his hands on her shoulders and holds her still.

"What? Why?" she questions, craning her head to look back at him.

"I already told you, it's a surprise."

"I knew you were going to kidnap me… and now you're going to murder me and hide my body in the middle of nowhere, so no one can ever find me." she retorts, closing her eyes nonetheless. Although her voice sounds dead serious, the corner of her lip twitching up gives away the joke. Kazuto lets out a light laugh.

"As expected from the Student Council President, so clever; only you could see through my plan so easily. Too bad it's too late to run away, now."

He wraps his arms around her shoulders and gently covers her eyes with the palms of his hands. She leans back against him slightly and follows his instructions as he guides her through the rest of the way, until they reach the place.

"Okay, are you ready?" he whispers in her ear, and she nods in response, "At the count of three, then… 1… 2… 3… open your eyes."

Kazuto removes his hands and watches as she blinks a couple of times to adjust her eyes to the brightness of daylight once again. When she finally gets to take in the full view, she gasps softly.

Right in front of them, there's a small lake bordered by a bed of rocks all around it, except for where they're standing, which gives open access into it. Different kinds of vegetation coil around the rocks, with some vines dipping into the crystal blue waters and disappearing within their depths. A wooden pier to their left leads out from the shore into deep water, looking a bit worn out but still safe enough to use. To their right is the picnic Kazuto had set out, underneath a big willow tree whose branches hovered both soil and water. Its foliage was long enough to reach the lake, moving slowly with the breeze and causing ripples in the surface.

Aside from the pretty blue lake and its surroundings, the thing that struck Asuna the most was the small waterfall that fell from the rearmost end of the bed of rocks. It wasn't very wide, nor did it fall from a great height, so it was fairly tame. But the sound of the steady flow of water feeding down into the lake was very soothing.

"Kazuto-kun, this… this is beautiful…" she breathes out once the initial wonder allows her to form coherent thoughts. Kazuto smiles in return, watching her as she stares at her surroundings in amazement. Her lips are slightly parted in awe, eyes wide and blinking repeatedly as if to capture every detail and store it away in her memory. "How did you find such a place?"

With that question, she finally turns her body to face him with a smile so bright it knocks the air right out of his lungs. In the back of his mind, he thinks that taking her there was the best thing he ever did in his life.

"Eugeo, Klein, Eiji and I like going on hikes every once in a while. We'd heard there was a hidden lake somewhere in this zone, so we came in search of it one day. Somehow, we did find it, and ever since then we like to come here occasionally. It's peaceful and quiet… it's a good place to think." he explains, taking a look of his own around.

Asuna nudges him with her elbow, eyes glinting with a playfulness that almost catches him off-guard, "I didn't take you as the kind to love peace and quiet… you know, with how much of a 'party animal' you are." she makes air quotes at that, and he gasps in mock offense.

"Do people actually say I'm a party animal?"

"Literally everyone from college says that. It's practically a factuality by now–"

"That I'm a party animal?!" he cries out.

"Yes," Asuna snickers, amused at his fake incredulity.

"Well, then let them know that they're absolutely…" he starts declaring in a firm tone, before finishing, "…right."

With that, Asuna finally full-on laughs, the corner of her eyes crinkling as the sound fills the air around them. He chuckles a bit too, his heart swelling inside his chest as he smiles down at her.

There weren't many instances where he got to see Asuna's playful side, although he acknowledges that said occasions had become more frequent the more time they spent together. She was usually all-business, whether she was concentrating in class or guiding the Student Council members to do something. When he first met her, Kazuto had assumed she was a party-pooper, someone who didn't know how to have fun or let others have fun because she was too busy keeping up the perfect girl façade. However, as time passed and he got to know her better… he realized that she was that way because she cared. She cared too much about her grades and her students and her friends to let herself loosen up a bit. Because to her, loosening up was equivalent to opening a door to the possibility of screwing up, and she couldn't afford that.

What's more… Asuna was also scared. He came to that realization when he found her all alone at that party almost two months ago. When he spotted her amongst the throng, he'd been surprised, to say the least. But he'd also felt ecstatic, like he always did whenever he bumped into her anywhere… that is, until he realized she wasn't feeling okay. She looked on the brink of a panic attack and that's when he realized she was afraid. Afraid of what others would think of her if she acted any different than she usually did. Afraid of the judgmental comments and deprecating glances that would follow. She was terrified of change, because going out of her comfort zone meant stepping into unfamiliar territory, where she would have to deal with the unknown without the safety guard of having an idea of how things would go.

Maybe that's why she pushed him away and was so determined on setting boundaries to their relationship… because she feared the possibility of it turning into something more. Although he recognizes that maybe that's just his wishful thinking.

"Do a lot of people come here?" she asks, snapping him out of his train of thought.

"Mmm, not that I know of, no… It's not the easiest place to find, and there's a bigger lake not too far from here that doesn't involve having to walk 15 minutes through thick vegetation. So I assume people prefer to go there, even if they know this one exists."

"I see…" she mumbles, eyes settling on the waterfall once more, "But even if the other one is bigger and much easier to reach… I think this one is better. After all, the greatest things take time and patience to reach."

"And resilience," he completes, staring at the same spot as her, even when he feels her turning her head to face him again, "The ability to keep going, even when challenges pose in your way…" with that, he looks back at her and offers her a hand with a smile, "Because the most beautiful things are worth said time and patience."

That was mostly a reminder to himself, but he thinks it resonates with her as well, for her face gets a little redder as she reaches out to place her hand over his own.

"Come on, let's eat something! I'm starving," he says, guiding her to the towel and helping her sit down. When he lets go of her hand, he walks behind her and sits on her other side, rubbing his hands happily.

"You made this?" she asks incredulously as he uncovers the bento boxes one by one.

"Why of course, Angel. You're about to have one of the best meals of your life, made by yours truly." he boasts, taking pride in the way she regards his food with interest. He'll be the first to admit it doesn't look perfect, but he knows he tried his best, so he hopes at least the flavor reflects that.

"I wasn't aware you knew how to cook," she comments, grabbing her chopsticks.

"Of course I do! I may not be a master chef, but I know my way around a kitchen. How else would I have survived these three years in college? Takeaway is great and all, but 1. my wallet would cry at the end of the month if I decided to stick to it every day, and 2. Eugeo would never let me eat just that."

"That's why Eugeo's the responsible one out of you two." Asuna comments as she reaches for a piece of teriyaki chicken. Before she can grab it, though, he snatches it away with his own chopsticks and huffs in indignation.

"Excuse me, did you not hear point number 1? I'm a responsible young man. Some would even say, fit for marriage," he wiggles his eyebrows and stuffs the piece into his mouth. It's her turn to huff.

"That piece was mine, you gluttonous jerk!" she complains, pointing her chopsticks at him. He leans towards her with eyes full of mischief.

"Do you want it back?" he asks through his mouthful, and she crinkles her nose in distaste.

"Before you stole it from me, yes. Now? Not so much."

Asuna pushes his face away with the tip of her forefinger and sends a glare his way, as if daring him to play the same stunt again, before reaching for another piece and quickly bringing it to her mouth. She chews carefully, and Kazuto stares expectantly for her reaction. Only after she swallows does she open her mouth again to speak.

"Well… how do I say this… it's not bad, but it could use a bit more seasoning." at that comment, he deflates a bit, which urges her to continue, "But it's okay! Just leave the cooking to me next time!"

She flashes him a smile along with the offer, before reaching for a rice ball and biting into it, clearly taking her time to properly taste it. Kazuto, on the other hand, is stunned into silence for a few moments.

"Next… time?" he repeats her words to make sure he'd heard her right.

She's probably too focused on finding what she wants to try next out of all the food he'd made to realize the weight of the words she'd said. But to Kazuto, those words meant everything.

"Mhm!" she chimes happily, opting for a piece of tamagoyaki, "It's only fair after you went through the trouble of making all of this and bringing me here. Plus, I consider myself to be a pretty decent cook!"

He doesn't know what to say to that. The way she spoke so easily about the two of them meeting up alone like that again… he'd been completely unprepared for it. Whether they said out loud or not, what they were doing… what he'd woken up early to prepare… every aspect of it screamed it was a date. And her saying she wanted to do it again, it gave him…

"Now this one is a bit too salty…"

Hope.

"Wait, so you've never gone camping?" Kazuto asks incredulously, letting that new bit of information sink in.

After they'd finished eating, Asuna had helped him clean up and put everything back inside his backpack, so that only the towel remained. They'd sat there talking, but after a while, Kazuto suggested they go sit down by the lake. Thus, after taking off their shoes and socks, they'd ventured to the pier and sat down at the very end, dipping their feet into the water.

"Is it that surprising? You make it sound like every normal person has gone camping at least once in their lives." she tilts her head at him curiously, palms planted on the wooden platform and feet moving back and forth in the water.

"Well, if they haven't, they should have! Camping is therapeutic, especially so if you're as far away from the city as you can possibly get." he explains passionately, "It's just you and nature… much like here, on this lake. There's no one around to bother you, no traffic sounds and angry drivers honking in a vain attempt to get the line to move faster. You get to breathe the fresh air and feel the soft breeze and bathe in the sunlight. And at night…" Kazuto leans back on his hands, craning his head up to look at the clear blue sky, "the sky lights up with a million stars. Without the pollution and the city lights to overshadow their brightness, you can see them so clearly… it's really beautiful."

"You really love camping, don't you?" she asks softly.

He looks down at her, "I really do… and I'm sure you would too, if you got the chance to try it one day."

Asuna purses her lips at that, breaking eye contact to stare down at her reflection in the water.

"It's… it's not that I never wanted to, it's just…" she sighs, placing her hands on her lap and fiddling with her fingers while she organizes her thoughts. Kazuto waits patiently for her to continue. "I guess it just wasn't my parents' cup of tea. We go on vacation together, but they usually opt to stay at hotels or resorts. And it's nice, of course… but it's always in the middle of the city, or at least near it."

"So you've never gone out to the mountains? There are resorts there too." he questions, genuinely curious.

"No, my parents – well, mostly my mother, if I'm being honest… she doesn't really like being 'in the middle of nowhere'. She says she prefers the safety of the city."

"I see…" he mutters to himself.

He wonders if that's where her fear of taking risks came from. From the way she spoke, it seemed like she's always been held back whenever she wanted to try something new.

"I hope I can go camping one day… so I can understand why you love it so much." this wish she shares with him is but a quiet whisper, perfectly matching the soft smile she has on her lips. He blinks down at her a couple of times, caught off-guard for the third time that day.

It's the first time he hears her expressing her feelings so genuinely, without holding back. That alone helps his affection grow, and he's hit by an urge so strong that it leaves him breathless – the urge to grab her hand and promise to take her there one day: to the mountains near his hometown. He'd love nothing more than to share all of it with her, so he could help her understand why it is that he loves it so much. And more… he wants to show her the stars.

That wish of his own lodges on his throat like a rock, pressing down on his vocal cords and willing him to speak.

Tell her… tell her how you feel. Let her know how much she means to you. Promise to be the one to hold her hand whenever she wishes to experience new things… Promise to be the one to show her everything she's ever wanted to see…

And his mouth parts to let the words come out, to tell her just that… but at the last second, he stops himself; swallows thickly to bring that wish down, back into the confines of his heart, where it belongs. He decides it's best not to push his luck, for fear of scaring her off… he doesn't want to ruin everything with an impulsive confession.

He wonders what other people would think if they saw them right now. He doesn't really care about others' opinions, but he does admit that anyone who's familiar with their usual dynamics would probably be shocked if they were to pass them by. Without their customary game of push and pull, without him teasing and her fighting back, they almost seem like two completely different people. He's sure others would think that.

"Angel," he calls out when he notices her thoughtful expression and somewhat sad gaze. He's seen her wear that same look whenever she tries to take the weight of the world upon her shoulders. He hates it when she does that.

It's almost instinctual, the way he takes it upon himself to lift the mood and help her go back to the Asuna who nags him and calls him an idiot for constantly challenging her and pushing her limits. And now, to add to that, he also wants to carry out the promise he saved in his heart, of being the one who drives her to experience new things.

Leaning down until he's at her height, his lips pull up into a smirk as the tip of his nose touches hers, "Have you ever gone skinny dipping?" he purrs with an alluring glint in his eyes.

Asuna blinks in confusion for a moment, until she fully makes sense of his words. When she does, her mouth drops open slowly and her eyes widen, before she's pushing him away from her.

"W-Why are you even asking that, you pervert!"

His lips pull up even more when he gets the confirmation he was looking for.

"So you haven't."

"That's none of your business," she huffs, "Besides, what's it to– what are you doing?!"

Midway through her complaint, Kazuto had gotten up and started unbuttoning his shirt. He doesn't bother responding as he shrugs the white garment off. With each new piece of clothing he discards to the pier, Asuna's face gets redder and redder, and when he finally rolls down his boxers, she draws in a sharp breath and turns to look away with crimson cheeks.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" she all but shouts the question again, covering her face with her hands.

"Never knew you to be one for modesty, Angel," he says as he crouches down and grabs her wrists, turning her upper body to him before pulling her hands away from her face. "Especially considering it's something you've seen plenty of times before."

She glares at him and wriggles her wrists to pull them free so she can (if he were to take a guess) jab him, but before she's able to, he lets go of her and jumps straight into the water. Summer was already in full swing, and the day was relatively hot, so diving into the fresh water felt like heaven to him.

When he comes back to the surface, he shakes the water from his hair and runs his fingers through his bangs to pull them back.

"Oh my God, are you an idiot?!" she shouts in disbelief, "Why would you do that?"

Kazuto grins up at her as she stands on the pier, "Come in!"

She looks at him like he's lost his mind.

"Are you crazy? No way!"

"The water's really nice, you know," he entices, swimming backwards, deeper into the lake.

"Get out of there!" she demands, looking back at the thick vegetation from where they'd come from, "What if someone shows up?"

"I've already told you nobody comes here, sweetheart. Just relax, will you?" he decides to float on his back, and the sight of his exposed front causes her blush to come back full force. She turns her back on him and he laughs.

"I swear, if you don't come out this instant, I'll–"

"Chicken."

The way she immediately stops talking and the silence that follows tell him his comment hit home.

Bingo.

Asuna slowly turns on her heel to face him again, head tilted and eyes narrowed in challenge, daring him to repeat himself. He stares back at her with a raised eyebrow.

"What did you just call me…?"

"You heard me."

She grits her teeth and mutters, "Take it back. Right now."

There it is. He knows he has her, now.

"Buh-kawk," he clucks, bending his arms and flapping them up and down as if they were wings, "Buh-kawk!"

He can see her growing more and more unnerved by his relentless teasing, but he doesn't stop. He knows he needs to rile her up just enough so she can let go of whatever's still holding her back. As such, he does his best to keep mimicking a chicken, parroting the sounds and waving his arms around, all while trying to hold back his laughter at the way she's glaring daggers at him.

"Buh-buh-buh-kawk!"

"That's it!" she fumes, untying the ribbon at the front of her crop top and letting the fabric fall to the pier. Her white jeans soon follow, though she pauses for a moment to ponder whether to take her underwear off or not. After a silent debate with herself, she mutters something under her breath and quickly takes off the red set she had on, before jumping inside the lake.

It takes no longer than three seconds for her to emerge, but as soon as she does, she turns her sights on him with deadly intent. That's when Kazuto finally allows himself to laugh out loud, which only causes her brows to furrow even further. He can't help it though, and even when she starts swimming towards him to retaliate, he's still amid his laughing fit as he swims the opposite away.

"I swear, when I get my hands on you…" she threatens, her slim body cutting through the water to come after him. Kazuto looks at her over his shoulder, wiggling his eyebrows with a smirk.

"I'd love to let you do whatever you want with me, Angel. As long as it doesn't involve cold-blooded murder!"

"You're so infuriating!" she groans, slapping the water to release some of her pent-up frustration. He chuckles.

Even after swimming a full lap around the lake, Asuna keeps chasing after him, calling him a coward for not standing up to her and choosing to escape instead. She swims quite fast, he'll give her that – but still, she's not fast enough to reach him. Because of that, their little Tom and Jerry kind-of pursuit goes on for a little while, with him making cheeky comments in response to her own remarks to keep firing her up.

That is, until he's busy swimming away from her with his eyes trained forward, and his surroundings suddenly go dead quiet. He stops and turns around to where she was one minute ago. She's gone.

"Angel?" he calls out, looking around in search of her. He thought she might've given up and climbed back to the pier to get dressed, but she's not there. He does a 360º turn to check the whole lake, but doesn't see her in the water, nor does he hear her.

"Asuna, come on… this isn't funny." he hopes the use of her real name will make her show up if she's trying to pull a prank on him, but again, there's no head of chestnut hair coming out from a hiding place to make fun of his worried expression.

Kazuto looks around once more, to the shore where the picnic towel lays under the willow tree, and near the rocks to double-check she's not in the water, but she's nowhere to be seen.

"Asu–"

Suddenly, and before he can even pronounce her full name, something emerges right in front of him and almost gives him a heart attack. He tries to pull back, but a pair of hands grab onto his shoulders to keep him in place. His fight or flight instinct would've kicked in and made him push the person away, if not for the familiar shades of chestnut and hazel that his eye has easily come to recognize.

"Got you!" Asuna cheers happily, clearly proud of how she'd been able to trick him until he let his guard down enough for her to catch him. She's smiling wide, locks of wet hair stuck to her features as water drips down from her face. Kazuto stays in place, still trying to process what happened for a few moments, though he feels a weight being lifted from his chest as a wave of relief crashes over him.

"Damnit, Asuna! You got me worried sick–"

She quickly shushes him with a finger to his lips.

"That's what you get for calling me a chicken… chicken." she sticks her tongue out at him, her mood clearly a whole lot better now that she was able to get her revenge… or part of it, at least. He should've known better.

Her eyes shine with mirth as she lets go of his shoulders, and next thing he knows, she's cupping her hands underwater and collecting some of the clear blue liquid in her palms before throwing it at his unsuspecting face.

Since he wasn't counting on it, the sudden splash of water makes him flinch and waver backwards. All he hears are her giggles as he wipes the water from his eyes and pushes his bangs back again. After blinking away some of the droplets that stuck to his lashes, he sees her swimming off towards the waterfall, her bell-like laughter drifting through the wind and reaching his ears. He doesn't even take notice of his lips stretching into a wide smile, her joyful sounds causing his heart to flutter wildly in his chest.

"Oh, so that's how you want to play!" he calls after her, "You better get as far away from me as you can, Angel, because when I catch you, you're gonna wish you didn't do that!"

With that warning, he takes off after her and their roles reverse. He watches as she crosses to the other side of the waterfall, probably to try and hide from him, but he doesn't give her enough time to. In mere seconds, he's already breaking through the cascade of water that falls from above, so that he's standing with her in between the waterfall itself and the wall of rocks that circles the lake.

Asuna squeaks when she sees him right in front of her, and he smirks victoriously as he reaches for her and grabs her by the waist, pulling her to him.

"Got you!" he mimics the words she said when she caught him, raising his voice so he can be heard over the thundering noise of the waterfall crashing down on the still lake.

"Let it be known that I was the one who got you f-first– pfff, stop it!" she exclaims when his fingers start poking her waist, deft digits digging into the spots he knew were more sensitive. He doesn't heed her warning – as expected of him – and instead starts tickling her even more, until she's writhing in his arms, begging him to stop between her giggles.

"If you want me to stop, you'll have to admit I won. After all, I did manage to get you inside of the water, didn't I?" he asks, never ceasing his actions as she tries to slap his hands away.

"A-Alright! Alright, y-you win!" she declares when she starts growing breathless, willing to admit defeat just so he'll stop. And he does, wrapping an arm around her to support her as she leans against him to try and catch her breath.

"I'm glad you agree," he replies, but she doesn't say anything back, still a bit out of breath from laughing too much. He doesn't say anything else either and just lets her rest, his thumb drawing circles on her lower back as her cheek presses against his shoulder. She sighs contentedly…

… and Kazuto wants to freeze the moment. He wants to stay there, with her, in that lake, as the waterfall falls right next to them and washes all their worries away. He wants her soft skin pressed against his own beneath that clear blue, and her arms wrapped around his torso for support, and her warm breath curling against his neck. He wants the quietness that surrounds them and the peacefulness that comes with her presence alone. He… wants to be with her.

He loves her.

"Asuna…" he calls her name in a choked whisper, one he assumed would go unheard, swallowed by the loud sound of the cascade. However, Asuna shifts upon hearing her name, and sensing the drastic change in his tone of voice, she lifts her head to look up at him.

Their eyes lock, like they have done so many times before… but it feels different. She feels different. Or maybe it's just him…

Her hazel orbs search his own for something, anything – a response to the questions she's asking with her eyes. But he's not willing to break that fragile silence that hangs over them, not right now, not like this. Not when he's too afraid of what speaking his mind might do… not when he wants that quietude to go on forever, so he can keep looking at her like that… just like that.

His hand reaches for her face, gentle digits brushing some of the wet strands behind her ear and knuckles caressing her warm cheek. She closes her eyes and leans against his touch, lips slightly parted as she breathes out his name.

His name.

"Kazuto-kun…"

She says it so delicately, in a way that makes his heart gallop inside of his ribcage and the butterflies on his stomach go crazy. As he holds onto those feelings, he finally dips his head down and lets his eyelids fall shut, pressing his lips to hers. He keeps his palm on her cheek and feels as her arms tighten around his torso, pulling him closer.

In that one, single kiss, he loves her.

When they swim back to the pier, where she lays back and pulls him on top of her so he can kiss her again, he loves her.

When he picks her up in his arms and carries her bridal style back to the picnic towel… when he lays her down, when he kisses all over her body until she's calling out his name like a mantra, when she wraps her legs around his waist and digs her fingernails into his skin as they become one… he loves her.

Even while they're laying together in the aftermath, skin on skin, limbs on limbs, and heart on heart, he still loves her.

And he thinks he'll continue to do so for the remainder of his days.

It's already close to 8pm when he drops her home. The sun is starting to set, blanketing the city streets in orange glows and violet hues and serving as their backdrop as he pulls into his usual parking spot.

"I guess this is my stop," Asuna says as she lets go of his waist and climbs down from his bike, taking off her helmet. He remains in his seat, feet planted on the floor to keep the motorcycle steady.

With a small smile, he replies, "Unless you want to come over to mine."

It's a proposition he knows she'll decline, though he wasn't completely serious about it either. With how drained he is from the day, he knows he'll jump into the shower as soon as he gets home and then go straight to bed, so he can get a proper night's rest and not look like a zombie on the first morning of the week.

The exhaustion he feels, he knows she feels too. He can see it in her slow movements and tired smile.

"As if you're in any condition to be making those kinds of jokes," she rolls her eyes but giggles softly, clasping her helmet closed and handing it back to him.

"Touché," is all he replies with, chuckling as he accepts it and hangs it on his forearm. All that swimming around had left both of them completely worn out, though if he had the opportunity to do it all over again, he would. It was worth it just to see her smiling so freely and spontaneously.

They stay there for a bit, him looking at her and her scrutinizing the floor while fidgeting on her feet. Her fingers coil around her hair, playing with it as she chews down on her bottom lip. She looks like she wants to say something more but is not entirely sure how to go about it. Kazuto tilts his head to the side as he waits for her to speak whatever's on her mind.

"I just… Well, I…" she starts, visibly struggling to find the right words to say, which is unusual for her, "I just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed today… a lot."

His eyebrows raise in clear surprise, but she doesn't notice it, since she's staring off to the side, still shuffling nervously.

"I know I didn't want to go at first, but… I'm glad you convinced me to. Spending this day with you helped me unwind, and I really needed that, even though I didn't realize it at first. And that place… the lake, the waterfall, the willow tree… everything was mesmerizing. I truly loved it…" she pauses and takes a deep breath, finally gathering the courage to look him in the eye, "So I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you… Kazuto-kun."

There she goes again. Calling out his name like that and sending his heart into a whirlwind. And as if that alone wasn't enough, she decides to take the few steps that separate them and lift his helmet above his head, before leaning forward and placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

His eyes widen as her lips linger on his skin for a moment, and when she steps away, he can't help but raise his hand to touch the place where the ghost of her kiss remains. He knows he probably looks like an idiot, but he doesn't care. He's too astounded to speak, or even move.

With the late afternoon shades that coat their skins in pretty colors, he can't be sure if the bright crimson on her cheeks is a result of the sky's palette reflected on her, or actual blood rushing to her face.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" she quickly says, turning on her heel and running away from him, in the direction of her dorm.

Kazuto stays rooted to his spot, even after she turns a corner from a building and vanishes from his sight. It takes him a while to recompose himself, but when he does, he finds himself stupidly beaming at the place she'd run off to. The rapturous feeling that blooms on his chest is unlike anything he's ever felt before. It's divine.

That warmth, the one that spreads from his chest and goes all the way to his limbs, lingers as he ultimately snaps out of it and brings his bike back to life, so he can go home. It stays with him when he puts his helmet back on and revs his engine, preparing to drive off. However, it flares up with even more intensity than before when he inadvertently looks through his mirror and catches her peeking from the corner she'd disappeared off to, only one of her hazel eyes visible from her hiding place behind that building.

She's adorable, and he's so hopelessly in love with her that his body aches to go to her, to hold her in his arms and kiss her senseless, until they both run out of air and are forced to break apart. But he knows he can't do that, so all he does instead is laugh soundlessly at the way she keeps observing him from afar, before he takes off at last.

At that moment, he knows that for her, he's willing to do anything. And he can only hope that one day, she grows to feel the same.