"I'm sorry, Ryume. I'll try to come back as soon as I can. Are you sure you'll be okay?"
Ryume smiled at her faithful Kasaigaru, "Don't worry. I'll be fine. Besides, this isn't the first time you had to go out on a mission like this one. It's okay, I have Rynn, Risu, Hikuro, Neji, and everyone else to be with."
Kasaigaru tried to smile but it ended up being a sigh. He didn't want to admit it to her, but he had a feeling he wasn't going to be happy when he comes back. "All right then. Take care." He vanished in a puff of smoke.
Ryume let out a breath of air and walked to her apartment. Reaching for her key to unlock the door, she stopped once she noticed the door was already unlocked. Looks like someone's already inside. She thought. Opening the door, she wasn't too surprised to see Hikuro sitting on her couch, feet on the table, and the TV on with a chocolate bar in his hand. "What's up?" He said casually.
"Hey," Ryume said just as casually and closed the door behind her. She flung her small traveling bag on an empty chair and went in the kitchen, "What brings you here?"
The sound of choking or a cough came from Hikuro and he cleared his throat, "Whoa, I think there's something in this chocolate, eh, Ryume?" he laughed weakly and waved the empty wrapper around. Ryume raised her eyebrow at him and shrugged.
"If you don't want to tell me what's up, then never mind." Ryume said. Hikuro sat back down on the couch, back to Ryume, and looked down at his gloved hands. How can I ask her? I've never done this before! But then again… She is my best friend…
"Hikuro?" Hikuro looked up and met Ryume's curious yet worried green emerald eyes. "Is there something you want to tell me?" she asked.
You have no idea. Hikuro thought. If only I could just say it… He groaned aloud and flung himself flat on the couch, his face buried in a pillow. Ryume blinked, confused, and walked to the couch, sitting next to Hikuro.
"Hikuro…?" Ryume asked and put a hand on his shoulder. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" Hikuro nodded. "Is there something you want to tell me?" Another nod. "Do you need to tell me this?" That question always caught people, and it worked on Hikuro too. He didn't move or say a word. "Hikuro, come on, now. This is getting a bit annoying. I'm tired from the mission and Kasaigaru had to leave for another one while I'm stuck here. If you're not going to tell me what you want to tell me, then forget it." She got up and was about to walk to her room when she was grabbed by her wrist and flung back onto the couch and onto Hikuro. The next thing she knew, she was being hugged tightly all around her.
With Ryume in his lap and his arms wrapped around her, Hikuro dug his face in her hair and brushed his lips near her ear, "Ryume… I want to tell you something but I'm not sure how to put it…" Ryume blushed from the position she was in. then she mentally shook her head. This wasn't the time. Her best friend was troubled. I need to be serious! What if it's something bad? Ryume turned around and faced Hikuro.
Hikuro looked away, pink. "Umm…" He mumbled. "Ryume… I want to… Can you… Would you… Do you think…-gah! I can't do this!" He growled and put his hands in his hair, ruffling it around everywhere making it messy.
Ryume laughed and rolled her eyes. "Calm down, Hikuro. If it's such a big deal I can handle it seriously." She took his hands and put them down. He looked up at her with his hair in his eyes –messy or not-.
"Okay," He said and got up from the couch, standing in front of Ryume with his hands on the top of his head. Taking in a deep breath, he hung his head and blurted out, "RYUME WILL YOU GOT OUT WITH ME?"
Silence.
Hikuro looked up with his face all red at Ryume. She was staring at him, in a daze. Then her face became pure red and she hid her face. "Umm, well… That's nice of you and all, but umm, I'm not sure. I've never been out with anyone like that before and um, wow, this is awkward. And it's so sudden. I'm sorry! It's just a bit embarrassing." Ryume continued to stutter out more apologies.
A grin formed slowly on Hikuro's face. "Ryume!" He suddenly shouted and tackled Ryume in a big hug, laughing out loud.
"Ahh! Hikuro! What the heck?" Ryume panicked. "Are you sick or something? Did something happen?"
"You. Have. No. Idea!" Hikuro said, still grinning and hugging Ryume.
"What?" Ryume asked, confused.
Hikuro leaned back, but with his arms still around her and still grinning happily. "I get to go out with the best girl in the world!"
Ryume blushed again and tried to squirm out of Hikuro's grasp, laughing. He embraced her again, also laughing. "Okay, okay!" Ryume said breathless, "Gee you party animal!" Hikuro grinned. "So, when is this 'date'?"
"Hmm…" Hikuro pretended to think and looked up at the ceiling. "How about tomorrow? We can go out all day, just the two of us."
Ryume smiled and turned pink, "Yeah. That'd be nice." She smiled again.
"Good…" Hikuro said, in a daze. Lost in Ryume's eyes, he continued to stare at her when she got up to go to her room.
"Well, um, Hikuro?" Ryume asked, hesitant. "Do you think, well, I can get some time to think? A lot has happened so far." She smiled weakly and scratched the back of her head nervously.
"Of course." Hikuro said, snapped out of his daze.
"Thanks." She said and went in her room.
Hikuro got up and walked out of Ryume's apartment, down the stairs from the second floor and out the main entrance. Once outside in the humid air, he hung his head, grinned, and then shouted;
"IM THE LUCKIEST GUY EVER!"