"I hear Chouko-senpai's trying to form a new club…"
"But what's the point?"
"I don't know... but if it's Chouko-senpai, maybe we should join?"
Akira was simply minding his own business on his way to school, listening to the rumours as he usually did. Somehow, it seemed like the rumours about Shiho were dispelling. Which he was glad for.
His thoughts were disrupted by a light shove to his back. He stumbled before turning to face the culprit. Shiho raised her hand, the one she pushed him with. "Good morning, Akira."
"Good morning." Shiho moved over to his side and walked with him.
"Can you believe how popular Chouko-san is? People are talking about her a lot. I guess I never paid attention to what goes on in the school before you arrived."
"I think it's more so that people get bored of one rumour and move on. Though the shift was really fast this time."
"No one's talking about your past and people are starting to stop talking about me. I'll have to thank her when I see her." Shiho turned to look at him, her smile brighter than he's ever seen. "That reminds me, Ann's going to be visiting this weekend! You'll join us, right?"
"I don't want to intrude…"
"You're our friend too. Ann insisted."
"If you're all right with it. Then I'll be happy to join you guys."
"Great! So, I'll need to ask you some questions later."
"Questions?"
"Mhm. Can we meet up after school?"
"Where?"
Shiho put a finger to her chin, tapping it repeatedly. "How about…"
Akira kicked off his shoes while Shiho neatly took them off. "Pardon the intrusion..."
"No one's home," Akira shrugged off his bag, letting it hit the ground. He led Shiho over to the living room, where there was only one couch and a few cushions around a small table. The TV was, while a flat screen, quite small. Shiho took a seat on one of the cushions on the ground and Akira sat across from her.
"Still, now I feel kind of awkward," Shiho admitted with a nervous smile.
"Now you know how I felt," Akira said, taking off his glasses and placing them on the table.
"Really? I can't imagine it being that awkward for a boy to go over to a girl's house compared to a girl going to a boy's house."
"…I can't tell if you're serious or not. Ann sure didn't have any reservations marching into my room."
"Didn't you live in an attic?"
"It was still my room."
"I wish I could have seen it."
"Seriously, it was an attic of a coffee shop."
"But it was your room."
Akira opened his mouth before shutting it. He couldn't resist grinning. "All right, all right. What did you want to ask me?"
From her bag next to her, Shiho pulled out a small notepad. "Just a few questions, and you better give serious answer. I don't want to hear anything half-assed like 'I don't have a preference.'"
Akira leaned back. "An interrogation?"
Shiho's eyes widened. "No, no! Just friendly questions. I didn't mean-"
He raised his hand to stop her. "I was joking. But I am kind of curious how much Ann has told you about last year."
Shiho wasn't over the joke however. "I know you've been through a lot. Being falsely accused and even getting sent to juvie… I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories."
"It's all right, Shiho. I've moved on. It's just the way you asserted yourself was very... cute."
"Uh…" Shiho blankly stared at Akira before coughing into her fist. "Then, if you don't mind… First question! What's your favourite colour?"
"…What?"
"I'm serious!"
"That's the confusing part…"
After about an hour of trading questions, as Akira would ask her the same question immediately after he answered, Shiho put the notebook back into her bag.
"Are you going to tell me what that was about?"
Shiho nodded. "You've helped me out a lot but it feels like a one-way street. So, I'm glad I got to take the time to get to know you. It's really heartwarming to know how much you care about your friends. Maybe if I met you sooner we could have been close too."
"We're already close."
Shiho gave him a tiny smile. "...I'm glad. But wow… to think someone as skinny as you completed the Big Bang Burger challenge."
"Don't underestimate starving teenagers."
Extra: Knowledge
"Hey Ann!"
"Hey! What's up Shiho? How's life?"
"I'm doing fine. I just wanted to ask you some questions."
"Uh-oh, I don't like the sound of this…"
Shiho giggled. "Don't worry. These should be easy questions for you. No arithmetic involved."
"Phew…I mean, hey!"
"Anyway, I've been preparing for our upcoming meetup and I was wondering if you knew what Akira's favourite food is?"
"Oh, that's easy! He doesn't have a favourite!"
"Huh?"
"I remember, when we went to the Wilton Buffet he brought back a toooon of different foods. Oh, it looked so good… I wish I wasn't full at the time."
"But, what about when you guys hang out?"
"When we hang out at the diner, we just order whatever. Steak, tea, doesn't matter."
"What about when he hangs out with others?"
"Oh, I know he loves ramen! Ryuji and him went quite a bit. It was frustrating honestly. You'd think Ryuji was hogging him all to himself!"
Shiho was starting to come to a sudden realization. "Anywhere else?"
"He loves sushi! Morgana mentioned how much Akira loves sushi! Boss and Futaba too! Oh, and we can't forget coffee and curry! That was his breakfast for an entire year! Although, I can't imagine that was the best diet… Oh! He also loves crepes. He'd stuff himself when I wasn't able to because of my diet."
Ignoring that Ann apparently talked with Akira's cat, Shiho bit her lip, new questions forming in her mind. "Okay, what movies does he like?"
"I don't know, all of them?"
"All?"
"He went to see a chick flick with me and even enjoyed it. I think I remember him saying he was going to see a French movie with Yusuke once. Let's see… He went to see superhero movies… and a yakuza movie with Makoto. And knowing Makoto, they probably even watched a Buchimaru movie, hehe."
"Ann, all I'm getting from this is that he always ate or watched things you guys liked."
"That's not true! Uh, Futaba and him played games a lot! Games he bought!"
"Did he leave them back in Tokyo?"
"…Maybe."
"Ann…"
There was a pause for a moment. Shiho was about to call out to her again before Ann suddenly shouting. "Oh my god, Shiho. Oh my god. How have we not learned a single thing about him!? He was always so nice and helpful…"
"What about his favourite colour?"
"Uh, black? Probably?"
Shiho sighed. "Do you at least know what sweets he likes? You, of all people, have to know that much."
"…"
"Never change, Ann. Never change."