Date 4 Ichijo (Sunday)

Riko was really nervous about this date; Kain had made her realize the 'romance' of her and Ichijo's existing relationship. She had spent a lot of time with him here, reading, him helping her with any school work in or out of class, sitting next to him in class, in fact her room was just two doors down from his, so they were always close.

She sighed, on her own downstairs in the main hall; she was sprawled out on the sofa. Then heard a light chuckle; and sat up to see Ichijo smiling widely at her.

"You look like a damsel in distress." He grinned, "Can I save you somehow?"

Riko smiled nervously, "I wish."

"What's wrong Riko? Do you not want to go on a date with me?" he tilted his head to the side like a cute confused puppy. She sighed and blushed.

"Yes I do." She nodded.

"Good because you are going to love it. I promise." He pushed his blonde hair out of his eyes.

"Ichijo." She patted his hand lovingly, he grinned. Again cute, she thought.

"Ichijo? Huh-hum," he faced away from her clearing his throat, she remembered he didn't like her calling him by his last name; she playfully slid around him and sat on his knee.

"Sorry Takuma." She grinned, he returned the expression and their eyes locked, he leaned in slowly and pressed his lips carefully to hers. Riko was shocked, she didn't move, he kept his lips to hers, opening only slightly for him. Suddenly he stopped, like just realized what he was doing. He immediately stood leaving her having to struggle to get positioned to fall on the sofa.

"I'm sorry Riko-chan." Takuma bowed and quickly dashed up the stairs. Riko felt her face fall into a frown and pout. What was he doing? What about their date?

She ran after him, yelling his name. Aido came out his room, "What are you yelling about?"

"Takuma just ran away, did you see him?" she asked still walking.

"No, maybe he doesn't want a date with you, maybe he just realized he has to wash his hair or something." He grinned.

"Shut up Aido, not everyone is like you!" She replied not thinking what she said, she was too busy.

She knocked on his door, "Takuma? You in there?"

Shiki opened the door, "What did you do to him?"

"I didn't do anything!" Riko squealed, pushing past him into their shared room and knocked on Takuma's room door. Shiki sat on the sofa with a Pocky in his mouth.

"Seemed pretty flushed, didn't talk to me." He said, looking at her with vacant eyes.

Riko turned to Takuma's door again, "Takuma, come on. What did I do wrong?"

Silence.

"Did you insult his manga's?" Shiki asked, "He loves his manga you know."

"I know." She sighed leaning up the wall at the side of the door. "I'm not moving Takuma till you talk to me."

Nothing, she shook her head, then her mind wondered to the kiss, it was nice, she blushed and tried to think of something else.

"This is a nice date Tak, you, me…..and the door." She nearly yelled sarcastically.

"I'm sorry." She heard from the other side of the door.

"Takuma let me in." she said softly. She heard him pause, and then the door opened only just enough to let her in.

He looked at her with sad puppy eyes, "I wasn't thinking when I kissed you." He blushed.

"Awww, Takuma," she walked up to him and cuddled him like she always had, "Don't worry about it. It was a moment of weakness, eh?" She giggled, and then looked up to him, serious and still. Wow, it really was a moment of weakness for him.

Riko led him to his bed to sit and talk, "Riko I was, I, …" he sighed.

"Takuma." She whispered, he looked so upset about it, it pained her to see him like this it was really rare for him to be sad. "Look, let's forget it and have a date ok?"

He groaned as he looked at the time, "We can't, it's closed now."

"Oh, well you don't have to take me anywhere, we can stay here and do what we always do, ok?" She smiled up at him.

He grinned back as she pushed his hair away from his eyes, "Ok Riko."

He passed her a new manga book he had bought her, and they sat reading and talking for hours.