Ch 2: Takoyaki

Tatsuya paused for a while when they passed by the Family Restaurant. He somehow expected that his female companion would like to eat there because Fumie was fond of middle to low class establishments. She thought they were interesting.

"Here?" he asked, reaching through the handle.

Fumie remembered Saya's words about Tatsuya suspicions (regarding her and Tetsuya dating). Frowning, she turned her back at him and said, "I want to try street food." Tatsuya thought she was jesting, so he whacked her at the back. Fumie staggered but she managed to regain her composure.

"gomen!" Tatsuya said, realizing his embarrassing quirk. Fumie managed to chuckle bigtime.

They walked once again to reach the street where food stalls can be seen. Delight was plain obvious in Fumie's face when she saw more than ten stalls selling items that she hadn't seen in her life. There were groups of middle and high school students enjoying the snacks they bought. Fumie thought the smiles on their faces was caused by the food.

Tatsuya cleared his throat and offered suggestions, "crepe, onigiri, ramen, sweet potatoes, takoyaki— "

"takoyaki looks interesting" Fumie said.

Tatsuya and Fumie seated themselves at the takoyaki stall. The takoyaki master hailed from Osaka, which was famous for its own version of the takoyaki. He knew Tatsuya very well, and his gazes at his two customers were playful. Tatsuya shrugged and said, "chigai (no), it's not what you think". He ordered for two and in five minutes the two orders of takoyaki were laid in their table.

Fumie looked at Tatsuya from the corner of her eye. The latter was too absorbed in devouring his own food. She drew a chuckle and nibbled at her own serving contentedly. Tatsuya ordered for another helping and while waiting, he asked, "does Tetsuya bring you here also?"

Fumie lingered in her thoughts for a while. She thought that Saya was right about Tatsuya suspecting a brewing relationship between her and Tetsuya. She was about to relay her views, but Tatsuya said, "gomen, I should mind my own business." Tatsuya began to wonder why he was acting strangely about other people's businesses, most especially with Fumie's.

A new bottle of mayonnaise was placed in their table. Fumie extended her hand to reach it, but Tatsuya's hand was on it already. Her thoughts whirred about the same incident in the family restaurant where her hand accidentally reached Tatsuya's. With her cheeks starting to color, she pulled her hand away and stared instead at her own food.

Tatsuya put mayonnaise both on his and on Fumie's plate and smiled widely, "it tastes better with a lot of mayonnaise. Try it."

Fumie took a piece in her mouth and said in astonishment, "oishi!". She tried one after another with her prudish barrier dissipating bit by bit. Tatsuya stared at her in disbelief and grinned.

Before Sunset

Fumie thought she had to clear the issue about Tetsuya once and for all. She faced him at the sidewalk near the river and mustered all the courage to ask the question, "I thought you were distant, Tatsuya-kun".

Tatsuya raised his eyebrows and forced a chuckle. Fumie's words caught him off-guard. He himself didn't know the reason why he was acting strangely awkward around her. But he thought about Tetsuya and said, "Tetsuya's my bestfriend. I don't know how he'll react if he sees us together. Not that I'm thankful for the treat but-"

"Tetsuya and I aren't going out" Fumie said calmly. Tatsuya parted his mouth, but no words came out. He was about to tell her that Tetsuya liked her, but he thought that those words were meant to be said by his bestfriend alone.

"arigatou, for the meal" was all that Tatsuya could say. He grinned once more and offered a fist in front of her. It was an invitation to knuckle-crack—a gesture meant for friends of Tatsuya. Fumie returned his invitation by offering her fist.

When they parted, Fumie remembered about the 'touching of hands' incident a while ago. She looked at her hand and frowned, Tatsuya-kun, you're still strange, she said to herself.

Meanwhile, Tatsuya breathed as if it was his last. Fumie might not be with him anymore, but he still felt apprehensive. He had a lot of questions in his mind such as: 1.) why was he acting strange around her and 2) why did he keep looking at his hand even if Fumie's touch was just an accident? He raised the hand that was touched by her accidentally and sighed. He was soon distracted when he saw his friends having a brawl with another group of students down the river.

Bakaleya study groups

The following morning, Koba-sensei announced a Cattleya standard of studying in pairs to help problematic students (like the Bakada boys minus Tetsuya who's been getting pretty good grades in his own) pass the national tests. The Bakada boys weren't listening as usual, and Shouhei had an audience of his own. Koba-sensei had always insisted for a group study, but the Bakada boys thought they'll survive with Tetsuya in their group. However, Tetsuya relied on his own stock knowledge and so study groups of their own didn't happen even once.

Koba-sensei said, "each boy will be paired with a girl."

The Cattleya girls looked at one another in surprise. Some of them groaned reservedly. The Bakada boys were finally silent—or lost for words perhaps.

"don't worry girls, these boys will sign a waiver." Koba-sensei added. The waiver included conditions that must be observed by the pairs. Koba-sensei thought that Bakada and Cattleya pairing would help increase the grades of the former in national tests. Afterall, they're carrying the name of the same school.

The names of the boys were put inside a box. Each girl had to pick a name and that person will be their partner. Class president Shingyoji Fumie was the first one to pick a name from the box. Her co-Cattleya girls were waiting nervously with their formal dispositions still preserved.

Fumie unfolded her paper. Her reaction was utter bewilderment. Koba-sensei was waiting for her, but she looked frozen solid.

So, he took the paper from her and read it silently. Suppressing a chuckle, he said aloud, "Sakuragi Tatsuya-kun, your partner will be Fumie-chan".