A/N: Kon'nichiwa, Senpai! I apologize if this chapter is a bit long... but I really hope you enjoy! I'll be posting a new chapter as soon as I can! Jaa, matane! (*^.^*)

Chapter 6

The light raindrops drizzled over Yato and Hiyori as he walked her home. Hiyori was holding her umbrella over the two of them as protection against the dripping mist.

"-So I kept telling Yama-chan to stop, but she wouldn't!" Hiyori giggled. "It was still funny, but sometimes you have to just draw the line, ya know?"

"Yeah." Yato responded, trying to listen intently to the girl's story. "I have to ask her.."

"And of course, Ami-chan was laughing now too, even though Yama wouldn't stop making-fun.. Which proves Ami's strong and totally knows how to take a joke… That's what's so great about her, don't you think?" she asked.

"Yeah." He replied quietly. "I have to..."

"Anyway, after that, Ami-chan was more careful about what she put in her hair.." She laughed, then peered at Yato with a cute smirk, only to see him looking rather gloomy. Her expression immediately changed to concerned.

"Yato, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing! I was just deep in thought is all…" he acknowledged hastily while shaking his hands, gesturing her not to worry.

"Okay.." she furrowed her brows and tilted her head towards the ground. "So, umm.. thanks for walking me home.." she uttered.

"Oh, come on, Hiyori.. You know that's not a problem at all for me." He stated as he bumped his shoulder against her's playfully while they were walking. "After all... you know I love y…" He stopped for a moment and became instantly flustered. Hiyori started blushing as well, and didn't lift her head up to look at him.

"I mean… what I meant to say was, I love walking with you!" he added impulsively while nervously chuckling. He quickly turned his head away and clenched his fists in his jacket pockets, promptly silencing himself from admitting anything else embarrassing.

"Well..." she continued after a couple seconds "..I just get scared when I walk home alone… Especially when my parents aren't there, and when it's dark and raining, so thank you, Yato.." she raised her head to look up at him. "With you... I feel safe. You know that, right?" she blushed.

He kept his head pulled away.

Their footsteps echoed off the buildings as they walked through the dim-lit streets together. Suddenly, the silent raindrops transitioned into a heavy downpour.

"Come on, let's hurry!" Hiyori giggled. She grabbed Yato's hand and started sprinting, while still trying to hold the umbrella up for them. Yato, running along-side her, noticed how frigid her fingers were, but also how soft they felt. He smiled, and clutched her delicate hand tighter.

Through the heavy shower they ran, until they finally made it to Hiyori's home.

Soaked and standing on the front porch, Hiyori was wringing out her skirt and laughing. "That came down fast, huh?" she asked while keeping an optimistic smile on her face. "Yeah." he chuckled in reply as he scrubbed the water out of his dark, shiny hair.

"You should come inside too. You need to hurry up and dry off before you catch a cold." she said, pulling her house-key out of her bag. Hiyori unlocked the door, opened it, and promptly stepped inside. "Come on in." she welcomed. "Thanks." Yato replied, eager to get warm.

She pulled off her scarf and coat, hung them on the coat rack by the entrance, and started prancing happily up the staircase. Yato hung his jacket up as well, and followed.

"My big brother still has some of his clothes in his bedroom, so you can change into them." she said to Yato. "Oh.. Th-Thanks… I just need a pair of pants..." he stuttered shyly. "Sure thing." she replied.

The two of them went into her brother's room and Hiyori started looking through his drawers. She pulled out a pair of clean, folded sweatpants. "Is this okay?" she asked, turning towards Yato and displaying them in front of him.

"It's great, thank you." he responded with a warm smile. "All right then! You change in here, okay?" she said heartily.

Outside the door, leaning against the wall, Hiyori waited for Yato. "The rain isn't letting up.. I don't want him to walk out there again… I wonder if he's gonna stay here tonight…" She thought, with a slight blush on her cheeks.

Yato opened the door and walked out, carefully closing it behind him. "I hung my pants to dry in there." he informed her. "That's fine," she smiled back at him, standing up straight.

"Seriously.. thanks for being so kind, Hiyori.." he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Come on, Yato… It's no problem at all!" she beamed. "After all.. You know I love.." she stopped for a moment just to see Yato's face turn red "..helping out my friends.." she said finally while giggling.

"Geez.." Yato pouted, swinging his head away again. "Wait, Friend?!"

"You know I'm just playing.." she snickered. "Anyway, we should probably get to bed.. It's already nearly 9:00." she mentioned.

Yato's heart started racing as his face began to steam. "W-what did you say?" he asked, not moving.

"..It's nearly 9:00..?" she reiterated. "Are you okay?" She asked, observing his sudden fidgeting.

"Well… I mean.. Yeah.. but it's… Umm… I mean…" He refrained himself from speaking and tightened his eyes shut. Thoughts began running wild throughout his mind in a jumbled mess.

"Hiyori's parents aren't home. Hiyori's parents aren't home… Crap.. why am I thinking these things? I need to control myself..."

"Are you feeling okay, Yato?" she asked, tugging lightly on his shirt. He opened his eyes with a jolt. "Y- yeah! I'm okay. I'm great, actually!" he forced out a laugh.

"Okaay.." she voiced perplexingly. "Uh, anyway.. you can sleep wherever you want.. Whether it's on the couch, in my brother's room... or.." she let go of his shirt and dropped her head feverishly.

"..O-or?" he inquired, restlessly.

Hiyori kept her head down and took a deep breath before saying, "Or… with me.."

"EH? Did.. I just say that?" Hiyori thought to herself as her face took a bright-red color.

Yato's face went ablaze and felt as though his heart would rip out of his chest. "Crap, crap, crap…. What do I do?" He pondered anxiously. "I kinda want to…... No... No, no, no.. I can't. I definitely can't. Not now... Not yet.. I still have to ask her about.."

"I have to go." he said, abruptly turning towards the stairs. Hiyori reached out her arm and grasped the back of his shirt, stopping him. "W-Wait."

Yato slowly turned his head to look at her.

"Please.. Don't go.." she whispered under her breath. "I… I don't want to be left alone.." Her head was dropped, but Yato could see how blazing red her face was.

"Boy, do I know how that feels…" he sighed.

Hiyori gasped in surprise as he swiftly turned around, seized her by the wrist, and pulled her against him into a secure embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around her body. Hiyori did the same and sank her face into his chest as if she never wanted him to let go.

"You know, Hiyori…" he muttered charmingly over her shoulder. "You really shouldn't show that vulnerable side to a guy… You don't know what he could do."

"I told you already, Yato.." she murmured, closing her eyes and tightening her grip around him.

"With you, I feel safe."