Chapter 17
~Ikuto's POV~
"Learn to notice other people's feelings Mahiru. Not just your own," I said, walking over towards Kaori. I couldn't help it. She's a friend and I don't like seeing any of my friends cry.
"Wait what?!" I heard Mahiru say.
I opened to backyard door and closed it behind me. I walked over to a crying Kaori. Her hands were covering her face as she sat down at the trunk of the tree in our backyard.
"You okay?" I asked.
"No matter how much I know that Mahiru doesn't like me, it still hurts." she said behind her hands.
I knelt down beside her and patted her head.
"That's just how life is. But don't give up. For all you know he could like you, but gave up on you when he moved away." I said. "I still haven't given up. And I won't until I hear a straight answer from Ayaka."
"So you're saying I should try harder and never give up until he gives me a straight answer?" she asked, laughing a bit.
"Exactly." I said, in a teasing manner. "Besides, if I do manage to steal Ayaka away Mahiru will be free."
"But if I steal Mahiru away, Ayaka will be free." Kaori said, smiling now.
"So I take it we're going to help each other?" I asked smirking.
"Of course." she said.
We fist-bumped and I helped her up. We headed back inside and saw everyone with confused and awed expressions on their faces.
"In one minute flat," Atsuko said.
"He cheered her up," Nagihiko said.
"It usually takes a week to cheer her up, but he does it in a minute?" Mahiru asked.
Ayaka stayed silent. As did Yaya, Kairi, Rima, Tadagay, Kukai, Makoto (when did he get back?), Sebastian, and Amu.
Yaya came up to Kaori.
"What did he talk to you about?!" Yaya asked, jumping up and down.
I scooched away from her.
"He just talked about his miserable love life and problems and that made me feel better about my love life and problems." Kaori said, smiling.
Everyone looked at me and I just looked at the ever-so-interesting tree topper.
"What problems exactly?" Rima asked curiously.
"Oh the usual. The person I like doesn't like me back. But Ikuto, your love life. You just keep falling for the wrong girls." she said, snickering.
"Hey! This is what I get for cheering you up?" I asked, faking hurt.
"Girls? I didn't know Ikuto-nee-san fell in love with anyone besides Amu." Tadagay said.
Everyone but Mahiru, Ayaka, Kaori, and I threw something at Tadagay.
"He literally just kissed Ayaka. Isn't that proof enough?"Makoto and Sebastian said at the same time.
"If you don't mind me asking, who do you like?" Kairi asked.
"Mahiru." Kaori said casually.
"WHAT?!" everyone but me and Kaori shouted.
~Ayaka's POV~
"If you don't mind me asking, who do you like?" Kairi asked.
"Mahiru." Kaori said casually.
"WHAT?!" everyone but Ikuto and Kaori shouted.
WTF?! Was my first thought, my second was Oh that makes sense.
"For how long Kao-chan?!" Utau said, breaking the silence after what seemed like days.
"Hmmm… a year." Kaori replied.
"THAT LONG AGO?!" Atsuko said.
"Mhmm." Kaori said.
"How did you meet him?" Rima asked.
"We were childhood friends."
Everyone kept asking questions until we ran out of questions to ask and then Atsuko brought out her christmas cookies.
"MORE COOKIES." Ikuto said, running over and started stuffing cookies in his mouth.
"Don't worry I made more for us." Atsuko said, getting more cookies and a glass of milk for Ikuto.
Taking some cookies, I starting to ponder. Hmmmm… If Kaori likes Mahiru, and Ikuto likes me… *Internal Gasp* Then what if I somehow make it so that Mahiru likes Kaori then breaks up with me and I go date Ikuto? *Internal Snort* Like that's ever gonna happen. *Thinks about the Idea* But it's not a bad idea.
Something must've showed on my face because Ikuto smirked at me. "Ayaka." his voice made me snap outta my thoughts and into the real world.
I looked at where Ikuto was sitting and not the cup of milk in front of my face only to find someone picking me up.
"Huh?" I said.
"TF ARE YOU DOING IKUTO?!" Mahiru screamed.
"We're just gonna have a little chat." Ikuto said before walking outside, Chara Changing, and jumping from roof to roof.
"IKUTO. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! LEMME GO!" I said, not really doing anything because I had a deathly fear of heights. So instead of thrashing around like I would usually do, I threw my arms around him and buried my face in his chest without thinking.
"Huh you're not punching or kicking or thrashing around like you usually do. Now that I think about it, you acted like this the first time I picked you up too. Are you afraid of heights?"
"M-maybe…" I said. Then I came back to my senses and realized that I was doing that and I let go, then looking down, only to do that again. It wasn't this high the last time you did this I thought.
"Hey, now would you look at that. You're acting so cute!" Ikuto said.
I would've beat him to a pulp then put his pulp in a blender to make a smoothie for lions to drink but I was seriously freaked out so i made a mental note to beat him up later.
Ikuto jumped the rest of the way in silence and about 5 minutes later, he stopped. Thinking it was safe, I took a peek at where we might be. I might've fainted because we were on the top of the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building, but I managed to keep conscious.
"Eep!" I squeaked when I looked at the view. If I wasn't scared of heights, I would've described it as breathtaking, not terrifying.
"Ehhh? So you are afraid of heights." Ikuto said in a teasing voice.
"S-shut up." I said in a small voice. "Anyways, w-why are we u-up here?"
"Because Utau and Atsuko know where my last hiding place is. And I thought that they might eavesdrop, maybe even record what we were gonna talk about so I brought us here."
"E-even though you know I h-have a fear of heights?"
"But you're acting so kawaii!"
"Ikuto T-tsukiyomi, I swear I will beat y-you up later."
"Sorry."
"Anyways, w-why did you bring me u-up here? S-something you want t-to talk about?"
"Oh right! Did you catch our drift?"
"What?"
"If Kaori can make Mahiru fall in love with her, then you'll be mine to claim. Or vice versa where I make you fall in love with me a then Mahiru will be Kairi's to claim."
"So what your saying right now my boyfriend and I are nothing more than things people can claim?" I said, completely forgetting about the heights and glared at Ikuto.
"U-um… That's not what I was implying." he said backing up.
"Then what were yo- Ikuto you're gonna step off the ledge!"
But I was half a second too late, and he stepped off the building.
