Norasakka at the start of this fanfiction: This'll be short and sweet, like 20 chapters tops. Yeah! Let's do this!

Norasakka now, at the 30th chapter: … What happened…?

Haha! I'm having fun, and hope you do too. Enjoy the story.

~ Michi ~

The following Saturday, the day of the dreaded goukon, was the twelfth of August. "The month will be halfway over soon enough… Do you think we'll finish in time?"

"The progress we've made already was remarkably fast. I don't think we have to worry as long as we keep a steady pace." Musca nodded. "But let's focus on tonight for now. Do you feel ready?"

"More or less. I don't know what to expect." I was waiting where Kent had told me to, but he was a few minutes late already. "Don't you think meeting at 6:30 is a little bit early anyways?"

"How would I know?"

"Good point." I sighed and sat down, staring down at the ground and only looking up when I saw a familiar flash of green. "You're late."

"My exact words were 'I would like to meet at approximately half past six". Four minutes past that time is still within the standard."

"Fine, fine. I don't think I can win against your logic, so I won't argue." I looked around. "Where is everyone else?"

"The remainder of the group is going to meet at the karaoke establishment at approximately eight o'clock."

"Then why are we meeting so early? I could have been home right now, still being unproductive."

"It is customary for friends to spend extra time together, isn't it? It was you who said I should attempt to think of us as friends."

"… I lose again. Fine. What did you have planned?"

He slid down the wall and sat next to me, our legs touching. "I had figured we could sit and chat."

"Uh-huh? Talk about what though? Because I have no idea."

"Ah. I had been hoping you would carry the conversation."

"You can't rely on people to do that for you."

"I see…" He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "I had heard that conversation was supposed to flow naturally."

"Well, maybe that doesn't apply to you. And that's just fine. There's not an unspoken rule against taking your time to think."

"There do seem to be many unspoken rules in social interaction, though. Have you noticed?"

"Well… Give me an example."

"Like this. Honesty is one of the most valued traits, yet if I were to be completely honest at all times, I would be hated."

"… Yeah, you're right… That's weird, huh?"

"It is more frustrating than odd to me."

"Because you're unflinchingly honest." I nodded. "So you say things that might end up hurting people or making them uncomfortable."

"Indeed." His brows furrowed. "Be honest, but not too honest. Be kind, but not overbearing. Ask questions and be interested in others, but don't pry. How is it possible to sort through these unspoken rules without stumbling? How can I tell when honesty is the improper thing?" He opened his eyes and turned to look at me steadily. "Do you have any answers for me?"

"Well… It's possible to observe and try to learn these social cues. Your honesty, though… You also say good things because of that, haven't you noticed?"

He blinked. "Elaborate, please."

"Like… The other day at work, you said that I was glowing, and then you called me your comrade too. Hearing those things made me feel happy." Any hint that the tenuous connection we had was improving was a good sign.

"Oh." He smiled slightly. "It would be useful if everyone would tell me exactly how they feel like you just did."

"Sorry, but you can't rely on that. You have to pick up on facial expressions and tone of voice to know how people feel."

"How aggravating."

"Don't you put your mind to studying and stuff? Whatever it is you do."

"I apply myself to my academic work, yes."

"Then apply a fraction of that effort to studying the unspoken social cues. Instead of standing there wondering why people react the way they do, note those reactions and examine what it was in your own actions that provoked that reaction. Understand?"

"Hm. A worthwhile experiment."

I laughed. "Yeah, maybe thinking about it clinically will help you."

A dry chuckle came up from his throat. "I daresay it might."

"So…" I took a breath. Maybe prying a little would help me get to the core of this, this loneliness that Ukyo and I had realized about them. "Why are you like this? I mean… Why do you think that is?"

"Interesting." He tilted his head. "I don't believe I feel comfortable enough with you to discuss this."

"Oh." It made sense. We had only just become friends. Either way, I always appreciated his honesty. "That's fine."

"So. Do you know how it feels to be in love, Michi?"

I barked out a sound somewhere between a laugh and a cough from surprise. "Oh, so this is something you feel comfortable enough to talk about?"

"Yes."

"Ah, okay then…" Love, huh? I guessed it'd be fine to talk about it with him. He was sort of like a robot, and that assumption of objectivity I got from him made it feel comfortable enough to be open a little bit. "Y-yeah, I think I know what love feels like, at least a little tiny bit…"

"You know more than I do. Please share."

"Well. Um. Uuuum…"

"Your face is very red."

"I know, I can feel it!" I snapped.

"I just thought you would like to be aware."

"Okay! Okay. Love. I think it's something deep, and I'll never fully understand it, but… It's a very warm feeling. Knowing that it's safe enough to be yourself and be open is something you should be able to feel in the company of someone you love. Even if those things and being honest could lead to conflict, there should be a faith there that everything will be okay. In your case, Kent… I think that if you ever feel that warmth, you should act on it. If you feel safe and happy, then you don't need to question things so much. But do make sure you feel something close to that passion, okay?"

He nodded slowly. "You've experienced that kind of love?"

I sighed. "I think… That I could've had it with a certain someone. But that road isn't one I can go down right now. So, that's that. I won't dwell." Or someones, rather... Could have beens were things that could wreck you in moving forward, though.

"I see... Despite the way you act at certain times, you do possess a certain depth and maturity to you."

"Thanks?" I raised my eyebrows.

"No, it was meant as a compliment. I'm pleasantly surprised."

"… Thanks…?" I laughed. "Just joking. I know how you meant it."

"I want to pry further. Is this acceptable?"

"I appreciate that you ask permission, but it depends on what you want to know."

"A kiss. With someone you love. What is it like?"

My face had cooled down some, but now it went hot and bright red again. "Er… I-I I, um… That's an embarrassing question. I mean, you've kissed someone before, right?" I blinked at him when he just remained silent, looking back at me. "You… haven't?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Oh. Okay. Well then… Just remember warmth. That's how I can best describe it. The warmest feeling in the world… Besides hot soup when you have a cold."

"Why does it always seem to circle back to food with you?"

"Because I love food."

"Hm. Well, it's true that you aren't as thin as Mine and Sawa are."

"… Kent?"

"Yes?"

"That's one of those things you keep to yourself. Honesty is good, just not brutal honesty all the time. You might… End up getting hurt one day. You know?"

"Michi, your face is scary right now," Musca informed me.

I took a quick breath and relaxed myself. "Food brings people together. Cooking a meal and eating as a group is a great experience. Like, when I was a kid, and my mom and dad and I used to make breakfast for dinner, and I'd always get egg shells in the eggs and they'd pretend it was still good…" I shook my head. "Why am I telling you this? But anyways, those are some good memories for me. Understand what I mean when I say I love food now?"

"I can imagine the sentiment you must feel, but I don't quite understand it, never having had the feeling for myself. As both of my parents work often, we have always subsisted mainly on takeout."

"Huh… Did you spend a lot of time alone as you grew up?"

"Yes."

"Ah…" That had to be part of why he was so emotionally distant. His parents… I wanted to meet them. If I could watch the way they interacted with Kent, maybe I'd understand more… "I still can't believe you've never kissed anyone. How old are you?"

"Twenty-five. Yourself?"

"Eighteen."

"Hm. I'm aware that a lack of experience goes against the norm, but… I believe my approach is better in comparison to what Ikkyu has done."

"Ikki? You mean him and his group of girls?"

"… Something like that." He frowned slightly.

"Well what do you mean?"

"… Should I be telling you this? Well, it's not as if Ikkyu has had a problem with discretion in the past…" He halfway talked to himself before addressing me again. "I'm referring to his sexual excursions."

"His…" My face nearly burst into flame. "O-oh… Oh." I hid behind my hands. "I-I didn't know that…" Before I had thought of him as "adult" just from him kissing me. But knowing this was… Different, so different.

"Are you alright?"

~ Kent ~

When she didn't answer the question I was at first at a loss, but in the end I decided to pull her hands away from her face. She had said that I should begin to learn to read the facial expressions of others, so it wasn't something she could fault me for. "What is it?" I queried.

"Just… I had never thought about that part of his life. I mean, not that I normally would have… I think I'd rather just shut up now."

"I do believe you're one of the few who was unaware of his activities up until this point."

"Why would I want to be aware?!"

"Point." Her fingers looked smaller when mine were around them. Her presence itself had a way of making her seem larger, the energy that surrounded her pervading what was around. But she could be small, too. Like this… "Ha…" I chuckled softly.

"What's funny?" The deep, almost reddish color of her hair made her face seem even more red, and her eyes looked big due to the general shock she was feeling as well as her recent change in appearance. She just wouldn't stop glowing, somehow.

"I'm fascinated. There are many sides to you. They don't cease to emerge."

"Ah." She smiled. "Another compliment?"

"I suppose it is." I paused. "You must know… Ikkyu has changed drastically as of late due to your intervention. He seems happier."

"Really? I'm glad to hear that."

"I must thank you as well."

"What for?"

"I had never known what to do to help him. I couldn't comprehend what it was he was feeling. That being said, you acting proved to be helpful. On behalf of the both of us, I thank you." It had been surprisingly frustrating to be at a loss. People were not as easy to work through as a math problem.

"Well… Of course." She smiled brightly. "At the very least, you're good at being honest with your feelings. Just remember that that's a good thing, okay?"

"If you say so, I won't dispute."

"Hey, do you think we should get going now?"

"Ah, yes." Looking closely at her for so long, holding her hands for a few moments… What an odd thing it was. "Warm…" Was this what it was, even if just slightly?

"Hm? Yeah, just remember that."

"I will." Strange...