A/N: I just can't sleep peacefully until I get this uploaded. I'm getting sappy, in Shinji's words...
"If you eat more than that, you might get tonsilitis." Ryoji said as he pulled Minako's cake away from her. He perfectly knows that she has a sweet tooth, but to the extent of eating five different cakes consecutively is something he didn't expect from her.
Minako pouted. "But THAT's my favorite cake, Ryoji-kun."
"You said that to the other cakes that had come before too." Ryoji said. Minako scowled and pouted at him.
"I didn't know that you can be as patronizing as Akihiko-senpai." Minako said, annoyed. She took her mug of Swiss MochaMello (it's just a hot mocha drink with two giant marshmallows in it) and took a sip from it.
"He...told you to lay off the sweets too?" Ryoji frowned. For some reason, he feels annoyed by it. He wants to be the only one who'd tell Minako off.
"Indirectly, yes." Minako pouted. "He dragged me out of the shop after we finished our first cake..."
"Well, he did the right thing." Ryoji said. "You might get diabetes or something."
Minako scowled further. "Why is it that guys always tell me off when I eat sweets...?"
"I'm sure even your brother doesn't like it when you eat too much sweets." Ryoji said. Minako looked at him.
"How'd you know I have a brother? I never told you." she asked, somewhat surprised. Ryoji smiled at her.
"Well, cuties like you tend to have an overly protective brother."
Minako rolled her eyes. Minato was never a protective brother, save alone when their relatives tried to separate the two of them back then. In fact, the only time Minato ever showed any affection towards her was when she started to ignore him. And that was just recently.
"You're starting to sound like Junpei." Minako remarked. Then she picked up her fork and started stealing Ryoji's cake. Ryoji sighed. So this is the other side of the calm and collected Minako. He finds it cute and to his liking.
"Hey Ryoji."
"Yes, Junpei?"
"I've noticed you can't take your eyes away from Minako-tan. And the same goes for her."
Ryoji smiled at Junpei. They were both having their lunch at the rooftop. Normally Minako would join the two of them for lunch, but Hidetoshi managed to corner Minako and had dragged her off to talk about some Student Council stuff.
"I'm really surprised how observant you are Junpei." Ryoji said. "You never show that kind of attentiveness in class."
"Hey, I resent that!" Junpei said. "Well anyways...Since it's confirmed that you have really fallen for Minako-tan, aren't you going to confess to her already? She seems to like you too, you know."
Ryoji gave him a thoughtful look. "But don't you think it's too early? I mean, we've only known each other for a few weeks..."
"And had started dating after a few days the two of you were introduced." Junpei said pointedly. Ryoji hid his embarassment by smiling at Junpei.
"Well, actually...we just started dating recently..." Ryoji said. "We just...hang out before."
"Yeah right." Junpei snorted. "Honestly, you best make your move and confess. There are other guys who are wooing her too. Especially Akihiko-senpai. He looks like he also has a thing for her. That guy can have anyone he wants in a snap of a finger."
"You're making him look like some bad guy, Junpei." Ryoji laughed. "Though I do see him as a competition...somewhat..." Ryoji remembered the time they had spent at the Sweet Shop. He still couldn't shake off the feeling of annoyance that's eating him inside out when Minako talks about other boys in front of him. Yes, that also includes her brother. Lately, Minako's been mumbling about "My brother" this and that...It's driving him crazy.
Junpei blinked. "Whoa, dude...You serious?"
"What are you so surprised about, Junpei?" Ryoji chuckled, pushing the dark thoughts aside. "Of course I'm serious. I even see you as competition."
"Say whaaat?" Junpei said ridiculously. "Minako-tan's just my best friend!"
"I know that. But you're uncomfortably close." Ryoji smiled. Junpei onlygaped at Ryoji until the bell rang.
Ryoji chewed on the thought of confessing to Minako throughout the day and the next day. He had definitely fallen for her, he's quite sure about that. But what if she doesn't reciprocates the feeling?
Ryoji sighed heavily as he took a quick glance behind him. Minako was absorbed in the lesson their teacher is giving them. He had never seen her so concentrated before. Maybe because it's Mr. Edogawa substituting for Ms. Kanou.
When the bell rang, Ryoji didn't bother to look at Minako who seems to want to talk to him. He quickly went out of their room and out into the walkway, where he could have a moment of silence. To think.
Minako frowned when Ryoji didn't even looked at her direction. He had been ignoring her for the past two days. For some reason, it doesn't sit well with her. Could it be that he finally got tired of flirting with her? Minako sighed sadly. Just when she's starting to seriously like him.
"Hey Junpei." Minako said, turning to look at Junpei who had just woken from his power nap.
"Yeah?" yawned Junpei.
"What's wrong with Ryoji-kun? He'd been avoiding me for the past two days."
"Maybe because he realized you're not his type of girl." one of Ryoji's fangirls said, with all venomous tone she could muster. The other girls were behind her, and was grinning rather sheepishly.
"Yeah. Maybe he had changed his mind when he saw you leaving school with Akihiko-senpai." the other girl said. An Akihiko fan overheard this and gave Minako a death glare. Minako felt a vein twitch. From the depth of her sea of soul, she could feel Thanatos stir in the hopes of crushing the lives out of these annoying girls.
"What," Minako said slowly, her blood pressure rising. "Do you girls know anything about me at all?"
"That you're a total flirt and would do anything to get the best guys around." The other girls tittered.
"First you dumped Junpei because of Akihiko-senpai. And now you're even intent of taking Ryoji-kun to your collection. Have you no shame?"
Junpei stared at the girls. They seriously thought he was Minako's boyfriend before? Talk about raving lunatics. He stood up and was about to say something in Minako's defense but Minako held a hand up to stop him.
"Oh, and why are you stopping your ex-boyfriend, Arisato?"
"Are you feeling guilty?
Minako grinded her jaw. If only she hadn't promised herself that she won't use her Persona to harm others, she would have pulverised them on the spot.
"First of all, Junpei's NOT my boyfriend nor was he ever been." Minako said through gritted teeth. "Second, Akihiko-senpai only asked me out because he's bored and I was the first person he saw. And third, hands off Ryoji."
Minako stormed past them and went home. Later that night, she technically ordered everyone to get their ass up in Tartarus and didn't leave until Akihiko complained that everyone's tired.
Ryoji lay on his bed, looking at the ceiling. Whenever he thinks of Minako, his heart constricts. He doesn't know how long he'd be staying in Iwatodai. He wants to tell Minako how much she means to him. He wants to hold her close to him, to feel her warmth.
"My dearest." he whispered as he drift off to sleep.
The next day, Ryoji woke up with determination. He's definitely going to confess to Minako. But first, he has to make himself presentable...
"Hello, Ryoji-kun?" Ryoji heard Minako's voice at the other end of the line. Ryoji felt unnerved by the fact that he's nervous. It is his first time to confess to a girl he's ever been serious of.
"Good morning, Minako-chan." Ryoji said cheerfully,trying hard to hide his nervousness. "Are you free today? There's something I'd like to tell you..."
"Of course I'm free." was Minako's quick reply. "Actually, there's also something I'd like to tell you too..."
Ryoji smiled. "Then I'll pick you up then."
Ryoji picked Minako up from the dorm and brought her to the school. The gates were locked, but they climbed up the wall and went to the rooftop of their building. Once there, Minako listened to Ryoji ramble on about how beautiful everything is around him. Minako likes the way Ryoji talk about small stuff like it's a big deal. He's like a child in an adult's body.
Ryoji noticed Minako watching him fondly as he talks. For some reason, that unnerved him.
"You said earlier that there's something you'd like to tell me..." Ryoji asked shyly. Minako smiled as she looked sideways.
"Uh...yeah...But I'd like to hear what you have to say first..."
Ryoji stared at her before giving her one of his chuckle to relieve his nervousness. Then he looked up at the sky.
"You know..." he started. "Whenever I think of you...It's so painful inside...But I know, deep inside my heart, I want to be with you..."
Minako smiled and blushed at the same time. Ryoji knows how to confess to a girl in style.
"I want to stay by your side and-" Ryoji was cut off when Minako suddenly placed her hands gently on his cheeks and kissed him softly on the lips. He was still in the state of shock when Minako moved away from him.
When Ryoji didn't speak for half a minute, Minako suddenly reddened. "I'm sorry Ryoji-kun...I just thought..."
Ryoji tried to regain his composure by smiling. "I'd take that kiss as a 'yes' then? Even if I really haven't asked the question..."
Minako reddened as she slid her hand into his. Ryoji only clasped her hand tightly, his smile warming her heart.
"I think we'd better get going." Ryoji said. Minako only nodded, though she wished deep inside this moment of peace with her new found love last longer. As for their first date as a couple, Ryoji took her to an expensive French restaurant.
Meanwhile, at the airport, a young man with blue hair emerged with his bodyguards trailing behind him. He flipped open his phone and dialled a number, though the reciever didn't pick up after a couple of ring. He sighed inwardly. Well, there are a couple of things he had to discuss with the new head of the Kirijo Group. He'd just have to find time to look for her.
A/N: Sorry...I really can't remember the exact lines how Ryoji confessed...