Akashi arrived first at their meeting place. It wasn't long enough when Eri came. In fact, she came right after Akashi arrived.

"I'm sorry, did you wait long?" She asked as soon as she came.

"No, it wasn't that long when you came," then, he notice something. Something that he doesn't see on her before, "Oya? This is the first time I saw you to wear something like that, Takasugi."

"Ah. I guess Tomo overdid it," she shyly said, placing her hand on the back of her nape, "I'm not actually used to wear this kind of dress. Tomo keep saying that this is a date though it will never happen. She's just exaggerating," she smiled at him apologetically. It's true that she is different today. Her hair which usually tied to the side is no longer tied. In fact, it was braided in a french style. She wears a light make-up and a small bag she carries.

"No, this is actually a date "

"Huh?"

"A date," Akashi repeated.

"Eh?"

"A date. Today is White Day so I thought of something different to return a gift to you. I don't know a thing that suits your taste that's why this date is an option. To leave a good memory and bond to you."

Eri's face flushed in red "Y-you can't... be serious," she could only uttered. She wasn't sure if this guy is telling the truth or lying or maybe she's still dreaming. A dream that will never come true. That's what she always thought.

"I'm serious," Akashi said while smiling and he stretched out his hand to her, "So, let's go?" Eri nodded in response as she place her hand above Akashi's hand, leading her to the way he want to go with her.

Oh, did I forget how Akashi look right now? He only wears simple outfit. Even if it's simple, he still has his handsome face: consist of black long-sleeve folded into 3/4 and it was unbuttoned into at least three buttons, underneath, he wears a v-neck white shirt Not that Eri could deny about that.

A few distance away, there are a suspicious duo, stalking at those couple.

"Oi Kotarou, why are we here, anyway?"

"Aren't you curious about the progress of those two?" He inquired without even looking at him.

"Stalking those two will break my heart, you know. By the way, where's Eikichi?" Looking left and right but he failed to find a tall dark-skinned guy around.

"Maybe he gets tired of stalking. I guess, he's eating somewhere."

"Well, that's Eikichi were talking about."

"Oh! Reo-nee, Reo-nee look!" Hayama panicked, "They hold hands! They hold hands! Akashi is bold," then, his gaze focus on the woman beside Akashi, "And why Eri look so gorgeous today? Is she looking forward to this date?"

"You're right. I never saw her wear like that. It's like she's a different person," Mibuchi commented. He shifted his gaze to the blonde guy who is hiding behind the tree, trying to follow those two. He grab his collar before he gets away "And now, let's stop stalking them."

"Whaー Stop it! You're no fun at all!"

Mibuchi sighed "I was just thinking what if Eri-chan saw us? You know how scary she is when she gets mad. Not that I'm afraid of. And what would Sei-chan say if they saw us? I'm more worried about it."

"Hmmm..." Hayama slanted his eyes as she wiggled his eyebrows, trying to tease the tall man he was with, "You're just curious as I am, am I right, Reo-nee."

"Now, you must stop talking nonsense," then there's something just popped out in his mind, realizing something, "Ah! Now that we've made this far, I think I just saw a good restaurant that I saw their article in a magazine. Let's visit that, for now," he chirped, leaving Hayama behind. Since he knew all along that the blonde has no other choice but to follow him. He doesn't have a guts to stalk them any further; and he don't wan't to see Eri's wrath nor their captain.

The first thing they did was to eat at some restaurant, a fancy restaurant to be more specific. Eri isn't quite used to this stuff, all she have eaten was in a normal one, where commoners like her could afford it but it was waaaaayyyy back when she was still a kid. As of now, she has only been eaten the homemade food she made for herself, as well as, for her father, sometimes. She don't have time to waste a large amount of money to eat in such a luxury restaurant. She only spend when she was in need to buy a few stocks of food in their house.

Either way, she still had no choice because Akashi insisted it. It may not look like it, but she actually enjoys the ambiance of the said restaurant. The food is great and this is one of Akashi's favorite restaurant.

After eating, they went outside for a walk. To tell you the truth, Akashi don't know anymore what they were going to do next. Yes, he has a plan for this date but he want to make sure that Eri is enjoying it.

"Takasugi," Akashi called as Eri peered her head on her side to look at the man beside her, "Is there some any place you want to go?"

"Right now?" She asked back as she earned a nod.

She scanned around the area, looking for a fine place to go. There she spotted her favorite place; her favorite place to visit after school, "That one," she pointed out a bookstore.

The automatic door opened as soon as it felt their presence. The place was filled with the aroma of the newly printed books, the thing that Eri likes all along. It was as if it feel so nostalgic.

Eri closed her eyes as she sniffed the air around her. This was her routine whenever she was inside the bookstore. The red-haired saw her but he didn't make fun of her. In fact, he also like the smell of the book in the bookstore.

However, all of the eyes of the customers were glued into these two young individuals. Must it be because Akashi is a good looking guy that attract all the ladies? Or perhaps at Eri, who look so beautiful in her dress that all of the guys went crazy all over her.

"Woah! Look at them aren't those two were cute?"

"They look like a prince and princess."

Those are the words that came out from the people inside, which cause Eri to become more embarrass. She bow her head and tried to cover her embarrassed face.

"Why do people keep saying that?!" She mumbled, "I-I'll just go to the fiction section," she didn't even dared to wait for Akashi's response, instead she walk fast as she could to get out of those people who stared at her endlessly or as if she has two head of her own.

She barely can breathe when she reached the section of books she was looking for, placing her hand on the shelf "Oh, so they already released the book two of this novel," as she picked up the book she just saw, scanning and reading its content behind, "I should buy this."

When Eri already decided what kind of book she was going to buy, she didn't stop herself to look for the other books. Maybe there's still a book that might caught her interest. She's a book lover, after all. Eri can read a book all day whether it is fiction or non- fiction.

And there's the book that caught her attention. It is different from the usual buys. In fact, it has a anime cover on it but it's still a novel.

"That book..."

Eri flinched when she heard that familiar voice behind her. She was too focused that's why she don't recognized what was happening around her.

"That is the book that Mayuzumi-san always read," Akashi stated at snatched the book in Eri's possession.

"You know about this thing?"

"Sort of. Light novel, that's what Mayuzumi-san said that day."

Eri hummed, "I think I saw him reading this kind of book, back then."

She search for another with a different title and genre that might catch her attention. Then, her eyes doesn't failed her for as she saw a good book, but what about it's content? She pick it up and read its content on the back of the book. The content just met her satisfaction, as she place the book over the novel book that she was planning to purchase.

"Is that for Mayuzumi-san?" The red head guy bluntly asked.

Eri was taken aback, for she was switched from her tsundere mode, "Hah?! W-w-what nonsense are you talking about, Akashi-kun? There's no way I would bother myself just toー," her words were cutted of when she saw Akashi slightly tilted his head and giving her his smile as if he was waiting her to tell him the truth.

Seriously? What's with this guy?!

She blushed to see Akashi- a very mysterious guy and who knows who what he was always thinking- acted that way.

Eri sighed in defeat and cleared her throat to get away from distraction "Fine. That's for Mayuzumi-san. Sooner or later he will going to graduate and so as his kouhai, I just want to give him some parting gift," she paused for a while, then continued what she was trying to say till the very end, "So ummm... Could you keep this a secret?"

"I understand. If that what you want. I won't tell this to anyone."

"And one more thing, I also wanted to buy something for everyone."

Akashi chuckled in response because it was priceless to see how Eri was embarrassed just because she wanted to give a present to everyone, though he already saw her feel embarrassed a few times. And he admitted to himself that Eri was kind of cute when she gets embarrassed or when she made an expression that Akashi rarely see on her.

"Alright. Where shall we heading to?"

A few minutes has passed when they finished buying some gifts probably it was for the 'Uncrowned Kings' of Rakuzan. Eri was kind of meticulous when buying some gift not just gift but in everything. She was looking for something, something that the person would appreciate it and it should be closer to their taste. That's why she was looking for any possible shop inside the mall. No complaints you will heard to the certain red-haired guy, who is accompanying her the entire time. He also giving suggestions to her since he knew those four very well.

"Ow!" Eri winced in pain that cause her to stop from her tracks. She felt some stinging sensation on her feet, yes both of them.

"Are you alright, Eri?" Akashi must be worried on her.

"No, I think I got blister. I thought I could endure it for a day but I failed to do so," she said trying to act as if it doesn't affect her.

"You should at least say that earlier so that I could treat it." Akashi guided her to sit on the bench near them.

They was about to go home and planning to escort her to the train station, however, something unexpected like this happened. He quickly remove her sandals as soon as she sat on the bench.

"Ah, this is too painful, we should treat it immediately," he said as he stood up from his crouching position: his one knee was resting on the ground.

"Just wait here okay?" Eri nodded in response as he flee to buy medicinal treatment nearby.

When Akashi was gone on her sight, she smiled apologetically at herself.

"This is kind of pathetic, huh. I'm not used to wear this kind of thing and this is what I get after I keep silent for so long," she mumbled to herself while looking at her injury.

While waiting for Akashi to return, she heard something unpleasant to her ears- something like there's bad happening somewhere around. Eri browsed the area, trying to look where that sound came from.

A few distance away, there was a street basketball court, her eyes wasn't deceiving her. It is no doubt that there is something bad happening there. She tolerate those kind of things, where people who are younger than her are making fun of older than her. More like those children were bullying by a man.

She stride and went to the court without thinking of any possible threats.

A tall punky guy was holding the ball up high. It wasn't belong to him; it was belong to the poor boy who is struggling to reach it. His playmate could do anything, he was too scared for the possible outcome.

"Gimme back our ball!"

He laughed maniacally "A pipsqueak like you has no right to play basketball."

"We are more professional than you so you better give us your ball!"

Those nasty guys were too busy tormenting those young ones and didn't notice Eri's presence. Quietly running towards them as she swiftly snatched the ball to the man.

Those guys were taken aback right from this moment.

"Hmph. Professional you say? Do you think a professional player will do something so unprofessional?"

"A woman? In barefoot?" He said, then afterwards he laughed out loud, where his peers joined them.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA"

"What's a woman doing here in barefoot?! I... can't take this anymore.. Hahahaha," the other guy with bonnet said between his laugh.

"Hey, did your boyfriend leave you behind?"

"What do you know about basketball? You're just only a woman," the other one said and this time it was the one who has a piercing on his nose.

*twitch*

Eri can be calm at most time but this thing is different, where her dignity is getting to be step by a total stranger.

"5-on-1. Play with me," she dared to say it out loud which they laughed harder than before.

"Onee-san, you're kidding, right? You can't beat them!" The boy said worriedly.

"Yeah, you were outnumbered! You can't win against them!"

"See! Those kids were telling that you are weak. You're only just a woman!," Eri glared at the guy who talked just now. She move forward to reach those young ones as she patted their little heads, "Don't worry about me. I'm just going to teach them a lesson."

She started to dribble the ball, there's a intense aura surrounding around them. However, those thugs were still bickering about her silly attitude- that's what they thought. That womens are weak.

Once that she caught the ball, she swiftly run towards the hoop, trying her best to avoid those guys. Luckily, she easily dodge them as she shoot the ball and it went in.

"Oohhh... Nice one."

"Not bad for a girl, I guess."

"If I win, never interfere to the ones who are way younger than you. Basketball has nothing to do how weak you are. You may be weak at first, but if you play it passionately, you may get stronger that you are."- Eri

"But if we win, you will do what we say."

"The who will shoot 5 consecutively wins."

"Deal!"

The game started, at first Eri could easily dodge their attacks, however, no matter how you look at it, these guys were quite good on their own.

Eri was good at playing but no as good as the Uncrowned King nor the Generation of Miracles- who has a monstrous ability. If we were to judge her ability, it was just as good as a normal player. Nonetheless, she still has her own unique ability. Since she is good at observing her surrounding, she could easily read her opponent's pattern.

The ball was in her possession, however, all of those thugs were surrounding her. Not even giving her an opening. She was still dribbling and couldn't find a chance to breakthrough to her opponent's.

"Aha! No wonder why she was barefoot," the guy in a bonnet commented who was right behind her.

Before Eri could manage to escape, someone snatched the ball into her hands. And the ball went through behind her.

The guy caught the ball and immediately threw it. Not in his opponent but his aim was at Eri's injury.

Eri winced in pain as she crouched, trying to ease the pain "You! Don't play such dirty tricks!"

"Hey, miss. That wasn't against the rules. In fact, there was no rules in this game so we can do whatever we want."

One guy crouched down to reach her level, probably he is the leader of the gang.l "Now, now why don't you just give up and do what we say?"

She didn't response instead she death glared them.

"Oohhh... How scary, that's what I like on you. You just don't easily give up, huh?"

Not too far from their place, there is someone who take this opportunity to attack. Someone pick up the ball and dribbles it as he dunk it into the ring.

"Why are you just standing there? Don't you still have a game to end?"

"W-who are you?"

Eri's eyes widened, she wasn't expecting these things to happen "A-Akashi" She almost forgot that she was with him.

"Oh, I'm guessing that he is her boyfriend," one of those thugs said, smirking.

"Hey, why are you leaving your girlfriend like this? Don't you even think that this pathetic woman might get in trouble?"

Akashi narrowed his eyes "Pathetic, you say," it seems like his anger overcome him. He doesn't want to hear that kind of insult towards his teammate. Is teammate what he really feels for her?

He shifted his gaze toward the woman who was still lying on the ground "Takasugi, can you stand?" He asked.

"Uh. This not a big deal," she said trying to get up as Akashi helped her, "It's just that these guys took advantage of me. I mean," she quickly glance at him, thinking that he might misunderstood what she's trying to say, "they knew that I was injured and they aim for it."

"I see. Can you still play?"

Eri smirked as her eyes were close "Of course," placing her hands on her hips, "I haven't show them my real strength, after all."

"Good," he said as he eyed those thugs around them, "2 on 5. The rules are still the same. However, once we win, apologize to those kids and Takasugi, as well."

"These kids these day are sure have lots of guts."

A few minutes later...

The game ended as the ball continuously rolling on the pavement. Faint voices were heard throughout the court, which belongs to the five thugs. The last standing on the court were those unbeatable duo.

As I said, that Eri is just an average player or more like that she has a higher level of an average. But when her and Akashi's tactics where combined, she became unbeatable. Akashi is an exception because he is way stronger than her and she admits it.

Eri exhaled loudly, looking exhausted "Now that we won, apologize to them. You guys were a member of basketball club in Dodai University, right?"

The leader of the gang's eyes widened "H-how did you know?"

"It doesn't matter. You have the potential to become a great basketball player, yet, you choose to use some dirty tricks which makes you weak," Eri stated confidently. There is no trace of fear on her.

"You!" The guy said, seething with anger.

"Now, apologize at once," Akashi demanded. He was not under his other personality, he just feel infuriates towards these guys, who belittled our heroine.

The thugs has no choice but to apologize, they got scared by the sudden change of demeanor of the red-haired guy.

"We're sorry," they bowed, kneeling on the ground as their forehead made contact by the dusty ground.

Eri sighed, feeling relieved that this scenario was finally done. She proceed to the young one's that currently loosen their tension, also felt relieved "It's all finish now, okay? You don't need to worry anymore," she cooed as she smiled at them, sweetly.

"Thank you very much, onee-san!"

"We did it, Akashi!" Eri chirped after the two kids departed away from the court. However, it seems like he didn't hear her. He was still on the place where they still talking to the thugs, a while ago.

He was not even bothering to look at her. Looking on the ground and not even to trying to utter some words.

"Akashi, is there something wrong?" She repeat once again.

"What do you think you are doing?" He finally uttered some words in a calm way but there's a hint of worry in his voice. Eri was kind of bewildered at the situation.

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

"Why did you do such a thing? You act way too reckless."

"Reckless? Wait. Aren't you overreacting, Akashi? I only did what was right," Eri was still confuse by the sudden change of attitude.

"You don't even know what you are talking about."

"Hah!? What are you saying? I told you thatー" she was halted from her words when Akashi suddenly hugged her. Her eyes were widened and her face has a lot of shades of red.

"Don't make me worried, Takasugi. I don't know what I'm going to do if there's something bad happened to you," he said, burrying his face on her shoulder.

Eri was lost of words; she can't even think straight right at this moment.

After a few minutes, she finally calmed down as she finally uttered some words "I... I'm sorry for making you worry."

When she reached her home, Eri opened the light of her room, feeling exhausted for the day. There's so many things happened right now.

But the only thing that was still on her mind was the time when Akashi hugged her. She threw her bag, first and then herself on her bed. Placing her arm over her forehead.

It seems that my heart is going to explode.

I think I finally understand my feelings.

And that feeling was I fall in love with the mysterious red-haired guy.