"Nya, Oishi what do you think happened to Fujiko?" Kikumaru asked Oishi who was sitting next to him on the couch.
"What? What do you mean, what happened to him? He's alright now, right? He just fainted, right?" Oishi suddenly panicked being the former mother hen of Seigaku. Kikumaru laughed as he saw this before patting Oishi on the shoulder saying that he got it all wrong, making Oishi blush.
"I mean, what do you think happened, making him cry last night?" Kikumaru rephrased his question once he saw Oishi calm own.
"Now that you mentioned it…hmm…I wonder…" Oishi trailed. "Aah!! I forgot! It's Tezuka's birthday yesterday! I have to greet him! I completely forgot!" Oishi once again panicked.
"Oishi, don't panic. I'm sure he would understand, us being busy from studies and all." Kikumaru calmly said to Oishi before realizing it's Tezuka's birthday they were talking about. "Oh no! I also forgot! I have to greet him too or else he'll make me run laps!" Kikumaru suddenly panicked jumping up and down on the couch before realizing, "Oh wait, he can't make me run laps anymore, we're in college now." Kikumaru said as the both of them laughed at their silly antics.
"It must be that hard for Fujiko, ne?" Kikumaru said after a brief moment of silence, leaning back at the couch, eyes staring on the ceiling.
"Aah…" Oishi said in reply.
"They've been so close, almost as if they're best friends, ever since Tezuka's birthday in our 2nd year of junior high…" Kikumaru trailed. "I wonder what happened that day." Kikumaru asked silently.
Silence.
"Ne, Oishi promise me you won't leave me okay?" Kikumaru said looking straight into Oishi's eyes sincerely. Oishi gulped. 'Does this mean he likes me that way too?' Oishi thought blushing. "I mean I'm not as strong as Fujiko, I may not take it that well knowing that my best friend left me, even if there is a good reason." Kikunaru continued. Oishi was relieved yet disappointed to know that Kikumaru considered him as a best friend. Relieved because he knew that they were in that stage of friendship and of trust, disappointed because they were just…best friends.
Oishi looked straight into Kikumaru's eyes as if searching for something, searching if they were really just friends. Oishi sighed as he saw nothing. 'So we were really just friends huh Oishi thought sadly. Oishi looked away staring into nothing in particular and said, "I would leave if I could but…" Oishi looked into Kikumaru's eyes once again before continuing. "I don't think I can leave…without you." Oishi said truthfully.
Kikumaru was happy, happy enough that his eyes were now moist with tears. "A-arigatou, Oishi." Kikumaru said as he hugged Oishi. Oishi blushed, taken aback from the action. As if realizing what he just did, Kikumaru blushed and moved away from Oishi.
"Aah sorry for being too emotional…" Kikumaru apologized as he moved further away from Oishi looking away from him. 'Baka, What did you do that for? He's your best friend for God's sake! What if he noticed that you like him more than that?!...but it feels so nice hugging him…the warmth…Stop it, Eiji!' Kikumaru argued and scolded himself.
"Well sorry for interrupting you Oishi, I must be going now." Kikumaru said as he stopped as he was about to leave the Oishi residence, not wanting to embarrass himself further anymore. "Wait." Oishi said as he stopped Kikumaru. "You can spend the night here, it's too dark and dangerous outside. I'll call your mom to inform her." Oishi said as he quickly went to the phone leaving no room for complaints and arguments. Kikumaru just smiled feeling grateful to him.
"Aah! Oishi I need to use your computer!" Kikumaru rushed to Oishi as he remembered Tezuka's birthday. "I need to send Tezuka an e-mail!"
"Aah me too! Oh wait, I can just call him later." Oishi said as he laughed nervously.