Chapter Five: Transitions

"Tomoya-kun, where have you been?" I half-expected Kotomi to be standing at the front door with an angry expression and her fists on her hips. However, this was Kotomi, so she instead had a worried look on her face and her hands folded in front of her chest. "It is very late!"

I held up my hands in defeat. "I'm sorry Kotomi-chan; Kyou and her sister got hold of me before I got home and dragged me all over town again."

"'Again'?" she repeated. "They have done this before?"

"A few times," I admitted. "I just don't know how to tell her 'no'."

"Well…" Kotomi was clearly in thought. "Since you were helping a friend, then it is no problem." A noticeable pause as she gazed at me. "Oh! Come inside; you must be cold out here!"

Truth was, I was fine. But I was really glad to be home. I said nothing as I entered the Ichinose home though I did give her a hug, earning a squeak from my fiancée. "T-Tomoya-kun…"

"Yeah?" Still holding her, I looked down into those beautiful eyes.

She looked at me as though she was trying to memorize every detail of my face. Finally, she said, "I love you so much."

The warmth from my heart spread to my face. "Thanks, Kotomi-chan. I love you, too."

She reluctantly released me. "I have saved dinner for us."

"'Us'? You haven't eaten yet?"

She shook her head. "I could not eat without you here to share the meal."

It seemed a little silly to me but I understood her well enough to be touched. "Thanks a lot, really. Now I'm really sorry for getting back late."

She laid a hand on my chest before jerking it back with another squeak. "D-Do not worry about it. I am happy that you are here now." She angled her head with a soft smile. "Are you hungry?"

"Famished," I replied. "If Kyou had let me go any later, I probably would've starved to death."

She giggled softly. "Then I am glad you were released on time."

After dinner we did our usual evening activity, though we had to cut it short due to the time: Studies to get me caught up in school. We had talked about the possibility of 'testing out' of my first- and second-year classes to make up for lost time, but neither of us had been able to figure out whom to talk to first.

I finally committed to one teacher in particular: "I think Koumura-sensei would be the best choice. He's the one who got Sunohara and me together."

"But Sunohara-kun has not been the best influence on your life," she countered. "With respect, I am not sure he would be the right one to talk to."

"I think I understand what you're saying, but…" I was having a hard time figuring out how to get her to see it the way that I was. "Look, if he hadn't put the two of us together, I think I would have dropped out of school entirely. So Sunohara and I kinda gave each other a reason to go to school, even if it was just to cause trouble for each other."

"I do not understand just yet, but-"

"Just hear me out. By putting us together he kept us – well, at least me – from dropping out of school. It sounds to me like he understood us pretty well." I leaned back as she gasped. "Yeah. And that's why I think he's the best one to go to; I can trust him because he took care of two dumbass students."

Kotomi blinked several times as she considered my words. For all of her genius and knowledge, her understanding of human relations was still…lacking.

Finally she spoke: "I admit that I have a hard time following your logic, but since I do not have a better idea…" she looked at me with her usual affectionate smile. "I will support you in your decision."

Her faith in me was a little overwhelming. "Thanks, Kotomi-chan. I can't tell you how much that means to me." I leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the nose, causing her to squeak yet again and rub at her nose.

"Aw, you'll wipe the kiss off," I teased.

She froze for a moment before she saw the expression on my face and started rubbing again. "You are teasing me."

"Yes, I am," I admitted before picking up one of my schoolbooks. "I'd better head to bed pretty soon; I have some studying to do, so I'll do that first. Do you need me for anything before I go?"

For a moment I thought I saw her eyes widen…must have been my imagination. "No, but…I do have one request."

"What's that?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"This seems awfully cramped," I complained. "Are you sure you have enough room?"

Kotomi had joined me in my room, sitting in her usual 'w-style' on the foot of my bed. "I have plenty of room, Tomoya-kun."

I felt really uncomfortable with the idea of both of us on my bed, so… "I'll just… sit here on the floor."

I started to slide off of the bed, but she grabbed my arm. "Do not go."

I blinked at her. "I'm not leaving the room, I'm just gonna sit on the floor."

"Do not go…please."

I saw the earnestness in her eyes and immediately caved. "All right, all right..." I slid back on to my bed as far away from her as I could and sat cross-legged; I took the pillow and propped it up against my legs, acting as a barrier of sorts between the two of us.

I really didn't get much studying done that night. Kotomi, engrossed as she was in her reading, didn't seem to have any problems. I, on the other hand, was a bundle of nerves; a boy and a girl who liked each other, sitting on the same bed? I felt like I was asking for trouble.