"Hey, Risa! Our guests are here, so come down and say hi! There's someone I want you to meet!" Riku shouted up the stairs.

"She has a really nice house." Daisuke thought.

He went to go take a look at a statue. Taking a step, Daisuke felt something in his hand. Then he remembered.

Blushing furiously, he said, "Um... Riku? Can I please have my hand back now?"

Riku gasped, and wheeled around. She turned around so fast, she yanked Daisuke's arm. In surprise, Daisuke tripped over his own foot. Riku caught him in time before the both went stumbling to the floor. Still, that didn't change the fact that their faces were less than 2 inches away from each other. They both turned deep red, and jumped away.

"I...I... I'm so sorry!" Riku said in embarrassment, and ran up to her room.

Daisuke stood there in a daze. What had just happened? Someone tapped his shoulder, and he jumped a mile.

"Hi! I'm Risa, Riku's sister! You must be our guest." Risa smiled.

"Oh. Ah, hi Risa. I'm Daisuke. Nice to meet you." Daisuke replied, still shaken from the incident with Riku.

"You're Daisuke! I've heard so much about you. Ever since she lost her wallet, she's been talking about you nonstop. 'Daisuke, Daisuke, Daisuke'. She likes you!" she winked and ran off into the kitchen.

"Riku...likes me?" he thought.

Half smiling, he followed Risa into the kitchen where his mother was.

"Well, hello there! Pleased to meet you, Daisuke! Emiko's told me so much about you. Make yourself at home!" Riku and Risa's father said, as he smiled brightly. "And this is Mrs. Harada, my wife." He gestured to her.

"So this is Daisuke! I've heard quite a bit, both from your mother and Riku!" She too, smiled brightly as she introduced herself.

"Pleased to meet you too, ma'am." Daisuke said, as politely as he could.

"Riku even talked about me to her parents?" he thought, a little embarrassed.

Daisuke took a seat in one of the kitchen chairs, watching Mr. and Mrs. Harada cook. But his heart wasn't into it. In his mind, he was thinking about Riku again. He remembered Riku's reaction to their little trip, and grinned a little bit.

"Daisuke! Come on, let's go call Riku down for dinner!" called Risa, as she stood by the stairwell.

"Ah! Coming!" He felt another smile creeping onto his face as he ran after Risa.

"Riku, dinner! We're all hungry, and it's your fault we're starving!", shouted Risa, while she pounded on her sister's door.

"... is...D-Daisuke with you? I heard his voice."

"Why? Does that bother you?" She replied smugly, and whispered to him, "Told you she likes you!"

"RISA! I HEARD THAT!"

"Ah, I think I'd better go downstairs. I'll see you two later?", said Daisuke, and walked back down the stairs.

So he didn't get a chance to see or talk to Riku alone, but who cares now? He had all the proof he needed. She liked him. Riku liked him. Breaking into another of his grins, he thundered happily down the winding staircase.

Riku finally came out of her room. She blushed a little as she entered the dining room, and saw Daisuke.

"He looks so cute dressed up. I wonder if he has a...I'm so stupid. Of course he does. What kind of girl wouldn't like such a nice guy like him?" She thought.

"Well!" Risa said, happily. "Hello mom. You can sit here, Riku." She winked as she sat beside her mother, leaving the only space at the table for her sister, which was beside Daisuke.

Riku dropped onto her chair, and stared down at her knees. "Stupid Risa. Shoulda sat down first."

Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Daisuke look at her, and smile.

Dinner went quite well, except for the fact that Riku had to run to the washroom when Daisuke tapped her knees while no one was looking, and pointed to his nose.

"My.. nose? What?"

Again, Daisuke tapped his nose amusedly, and pointed to his rice. Riku felt her nose, and sure enough, there was a small grain of rice stuck there. She turned crimson, and hightailed it, slamming the washroom door behind her.

A seat away from him, Risa giggled happily.

(Daisuke and his mother are leaving now.)

"Bye, Riku, Risa." He smiled happily, and just when he was about to step out the door, someone tapped him on the shoulder.

Riku stood there, biting her lip, and asked him, "Can I... May I speak to you... alone for a minute?"

"Sure. Hey, mom, wait for me in the car, I'll be right there!." He replied, a little too enthusiastically. "What's up?" Daisuke asked, and gave her a sweet smile.

"I just wanted to say a proper goodbye. And ask you something..."

"Heh, no problem. What is it?

"I just wanted to know... d'youagirlfriend?" Her heart skipped a beat. "I'm so stupid! I can't even say a proper sentence in front of him..."

"Pardon? I couldn't hear the last bit." But he knew exactly what she had said.

"Do you... have a girlfriend? I mean, I'm just curious, nothing special." She asked, properly this time. "There. I finally asked him."

"No, not... yet. Why?"

"No! Nothing! I just said, I'm curious, that's all... because... Y-you're such a nice person." Riku stammered, embarrassed but very relieved, and a lot more than just happy.

Daisuke blushed. "Thanks. You're a real good person too."

Emiko honked the car horn.

He put both his hands on her shoulder, looked into her eyes, and said, "I have to go now. I hope I can see you again, Riku."

He gave her a final hug, jumped off the porch steps, and left. "Just a friendly hug. She couldn't have suspected anything..." He smiled, and hopped into the car. Daisuke waved to Riku, who was still on the porch, and was headed home.

Jeez, what a long chapter after those last two short ones. Thanks to: Emerald-eclipse, magicalplay, itzkimiakaauntuu, ShadowDaisuke, and Mackem for commenting. I try! And I've also turned on the anonymous review, so non members can comment. See you next chapter!