47. Longing
Rin's heart is going a mile a minute.
For the first time ever, she's on an actual date.
Her eyes cautiously flick to the cute boy sitting beside her. The sweet blonde is unhesitating as he devours his fruity ice cream cone.
Rin, however, can barely eat hers, though she forces herself to. She's far too nervous.
The night's been going wonderfully. Len took her to go see an action movie with a romantic side plot, and he had slowly taken her hand in his, effectively causing a rush of excitement. She was almost positive he was going to kiss her then.
Instead, he had reached over for the popcorn.
Disappointing…
Then, after that, they stopped and played arcade games. Len won enough tickets to buy her a giant stuffed panda, (which is so adorable), and when she was thanking him, their eyes caught.
He had leaned down, and…
...Told her she had a piece of corn left in her teeth.
Rin frowns. Okay, so maybe it's going mostly okay. Even though she's having fun, it's missing something.
She wants him to kiss her.
"U-um, Len?" She speaks slowly, fidgeting beside him awkwardly. One hand is holding her melting ice cream, the other is being held by his own.
"Hmm?" He responds, looking at her. "Something wrong?"
"W-Well-" She turns bright red.
He blinks. "Are you okay?" He wonders, looking puzzled by her expression.
"I- well, that is-" Rin lets out a puff of frustrated air.
"Rin-?"
She looks him in the eye and, with her face afire, says, "Aren't you… um… going to kiss me?"
Len blinks. "You… want me to?"
How dense can he get?!
"No, n-never mind!" Rin says, looking away, upset. "Forget I said anything…"
She feels his hand release hers, and then his fingers under her chin, turning her to look at him. Suddenly his face is in close proximity to hers, and her breath catches in her throat.
Slowly, he leans in and she closes her eyes, her heart beating furiously like a bird trying to escape her chest. His banana-scented breath comes near, and she turns deep scarlet. Finally…!
Rin freezes when she feels his lips graze her cheek. Her eyes snap open.
Len pulls away, grinning. "There." He looks so proud of himself.
Her mouth is open in shock, her brain working to process what just happened. Then-
"You're such an idiot!"