Chapter 16: Cluelessness and Concerns

Takashi lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling as the early morning sunshine slowly crept through the blinds. Sumiko was coming today. She was going to stay here. She was going to sleep in his room. She was going to be sleeping in his room.

He realized that his hands were shaking. He vaulted out of bed and splashed cold water on his face in the bathroom.

He couldn't focus at all in any of his classes, even in History of Ancient Japan, which was usually his favorite class. And in Economics, he didn't even register that the girl sitting next to him was giggling and taking pictures of him with her cellphone. Sumiko had told him that she couldn't meet him for tea that day, something that he was infinitely grateful for. He didn't think he'd be able to face her.

"Are you all right, Takashi?" Mitsukuni asked him during dinner. "You seem distracted."

"Ah."

"Why?"

"...Sumiko-san."

"Ahhh." Mitsukuni took a reflective bite of his cake. "Sumi-chan. How is she?"

Takashi stared down at his tea. "Fine. She's shooting again tomorrow."

"Great! Are we invited?" The boy looked at his cousin expectantly. "Takashi?"

The taller boy seemed to be engaged in a staring match with his cup, his face screwed up in concentration.

"...Mitsukuni."

"Yes, Takashi?"

"If, hypothetically, a boy was...attracted to a girl, and that girl was staying in his room so that she could get to an event, and they were going to be sleeping in the same room, what should he do?" Takashi asked carefully.

Mitsukuni stared at his cousin with an odd expression on his face. "Wow. I don't think I've heard you talk so much all year," he said. "Um. Well, to tell the truth, it sounds like a romantic comedy setup in a manga."

Takashi's ears went red.

"A smutty manga," Mitsukuni elaborated.

Takashi's face flamed.

"Like, the kind of manga where they show the two people having se-"

"I SEE!" Takashi shouted. He didn't think he could blush any more.

"But in all seriousness, if the girl is not aware of his feelings, it seems like the perfect scenario to confess."

Takashi nodded.

"And maybe, after he confesses, he can have hot se-"

"THANK YOU!" Takashi interrupted again. He really did not need those sorts of images in his head.

Mitsukuni put his head to the side and smiled at Takashi. "You two are really oblivious, aren't you?" he said quietly. "Well, you'd better go. You'll be late for to let Sumiko in."

"How did you..."

"Go on, hurry!"

Takashi blinked at his cousin, and then rose from the table and hurried out of the restaurant. There was a fifteen-minute walk to Kuri House, which meant that he was able to gather his thought on the way. He was terribly nervous for some reason. Really, it was just Sumiko (who was the most beautiful girl he had ever met). It wasn't like the Emperor was coming to call (oh god, he couldn't remember if he'd made his bed).

"Hey, Takashi-san!"

He looked up to see Sumiko waving at him from the steps of Kuri House. She was carrying a large duffle bag that had an arrow poking out of it.

"Waiting long?" he asked her as he unlocked the door.

"Oh no. I just got here."

"Ah." He led the way up the stairs (why were they both being so polite?) and onto his floor.

"This is my room."

"It's very nice."

They stood there, staring at each other.

And then simultaneously blushed beet red.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Author's Note: So, a bit of a short chapter, but I promise that the next one will be nice an long.