Chapter 14: Consensus

It's lovingly referred to as 'The Episode.' 'I'll be nice, Yuu-chan, wouldn't want a repeat of 'The Episode,' would we?' 'Don't cry, Yuu-chan, 'The Episode' was enough.' It's enough to make him want to put his head through a wall, but he didn't expect any different. Mikaela teases, he realized that before they even got together, so he can't say it's a deal breaker.

In fact, on anyone else it'd be a lot more annoying than it is on him. Is he blinded by affection? Probably, but he's happy again and that's all that matters. Certainly not what anybody else thinks and he can tell everyone in the class knows.

It's not like Mikaela hides it in the least. He's even more affectionate now and it doesn't matter who's around. And because it's Ferid's dojo and Mikaela is clearly his favorite, something he tries not to think too much about, he lets Mikaela get away with almost anything. Everyone else focuses on discipline and knows that this is not an appropriate place for public displays of affection, but the blonde couldn't care less.

If he feels like a hug in the middle of class, he takes one. A kiss? That too. Needless to say, he's heard a few disgruntled complaints about it, but no one can make Mikaela do anything that he doesn't want to do, not even Narumi's vocal complaints.

The brown haired male seems to hate them both with a passion now, glaring at him whenever MIkaela turns his back, but not daring enough to do it when he's turned around. He's pretty sure the stupid lovesick smile that always shows up when Mikaela comes over isn't helping either. Actually, together they're probably making the whole class hate them. As much as any of them can hate Mikaela anyway.

Either way, he's enjoying his lessons a whole lot more now, including after, which is where he is now. Pinned against the side of the wall with Mikaela's body hiding him from the view of any passersby.

Fingers slide into his hair to tilt his head up and Mikaela pulls him into a kiss, probing into his mouth skillfully and doing everything Yuu likes. Kissing Mikaela is always pleasurable, he puts all that experience to good use and Yuu enjoys every second of it.

He tugs Mikaela closer to him and presses against him happily, content to be there with him.

"Mika, let's go!"

The blonde pulls away to glance behind him at Lacus' impatient expression. "Sorry, Yuu-chan, gotta go," he murmurs, heading back to the front of the building.

"It's fine, I have to get home too." He leans up for one more kiss and untangles their fingers, "I'll see you later."

Mikaela nods and Yuu heads in the opposite direction to catch his own train home. Thirty minutes later, he's pulling open the door and tossing his bag across the floor. Guren's not home yet, so he's on his own for dinner, so it'll have to be something quick. Maybe a pan of yakisoba? He's gathering the ingredients for dinner and nearly drops them when his door is almost beaten down by the force of someone's knocks. Who is that? I have neighbors!

He hits the intercom camera button and sees his friends crowded around the door, Shinoa gazing at the camera with a maniacal grin. "Open up, Yuu!"

"Quit knocking like that! I'll hear about it from Guren if the neighbors complain!"

"Then open up!"

"What do you guys want anyway?"

"Let us in and we'll tell you."

"Nah, I'm busy right now."

"Or we'll keep knocking until your neighbors come out."

"Then maybe they'll run you off."

"Come on, Yuu, we just want to talk."

He stares down at the ingredients in his arms before shoving them back in the fridge, dinner will have to wait.

The second he opens the door, they crowd through it, pushing him aside in their desperation to get inside. "What the hell guys?"

"We saw you!" Shinoa crows, jabbing him in the forehead.

"Saw me what?"

"With the blonde guy!"

Shit… Yuu's eyes widen and he quickly tries to come up with a convincing cover story. "Oh him? He works at the dojo, that's all."

"Uh huh." Shinoa gives him a knowing look, "Didn't look like he was 'working' on the side of the building."

Yuu blinks quickly, "Uh...I don't know what you're talking about. I said goodbye and we left."

"Said goodbye with your mouth!"

"Well, duh, what else would I use? My leg?"

"Give it up, Yuu. We all saw you lip locking with him after practice." Mitsuba answers, taking a seat at the table. "There's no point in lying anymore."

He winces, "It's not what you think…"

"So, you weren't swapping spit in public view of anyone who happened to walk by?"

"Okay, yeah, but that's all!"

"That's definitely more to it."

"Tell us!" Shinoa prods as they all look at him from the table.

"It's really not a big deal," he mutters weakly.

"Then sit down and talk, we're not leaving until you do."

Yuu sighs and takes the remaining empty seat, staring at the table rather than meet anyone's gaze, especially not Yoichi's. He's been silent since they entered and Yuu would rather not know what emotion is swimming in the depths of his eyes. If the situation was reversed, he's pretty sure he wouldn't even be here.

"I met him again after that day at the tournament and it just kind of went from there."

Kimizuki gives him a hard stare, putting two and two together, "So, all this time you've been missing and hanging out with your 'karate friends' was really just you spending time with him?"

"Yeah…"

"So, you're saying you ditched us to go spend time with some strange guy that picked on you?"

"That's not what I said!"

"You're such an idiot."

"You were a stranger before I met you too, asshole!"

"Yuu, he could have been anyone and you're disappearing off without telling anyone."

"Thanks dad."

Kimizuki scowls and turns away, "Fuck you."

"He kind of has a point," Mistuba comments. "None of us knew anything about him. You could have ended up in a dumpster and we wouldn't have known what happened."

"I'm not stupid, there were other people around sometimes."

"Uh huh, so you already knew him well before you were alone with him?"

"Well…"

"This is the same guy who left you outside unconscious."

"None of that matters anymore," Yuu exclaims, waving his hands frantically. "That's all in the past. We're together now and that's what matters!"

There's silence at the table until Shinoa breaks it with a low chuckle.

"You're dating him?!" She covers her laugh with a hand and smirks. "Oh ho! So everyone was looking at me when they should have been watching this cherry boy!"

"It wasn't like that, I told you it just kind of happened!"

"Does Guren know?"

"Of course not!"

"He's gonna flip!" Shinoa laughs, tilting her chair back. "I cannot wait."

"He's not going to find out," Yuu mutters back crossly.

"Yuu, get real." Mistuba inserts. "How long do you think you can keep this a secret?"

"It's worked so far."

"Not that I really care, but you know this is illegal, right? Then again, it's you, so maybe not."

Yuu glares over at Kimizuki, "I'm sixteen, not a kid!"

"He's twenty-two, a junior in college. You're a sophomore. In high school."

"So? It's fine."

Shinoa leans across the table to fix him with an intense stare, "Have you done it?"

"N-none of your business."

"Ha! You have! He is so screwed!"

"It was consensual!"

"They'll take one long look at your cherry boy face, see how clueless you are, and assume he took advantage. I guarantee it."

"No they won't, I'm not clueless!"

"Enjoy seeing him in jail, cause that's what's going to happen when Guren finds out!"

"He won't find out," Yuu says confidently.

"Won't find out what?" Guren questions, slamming the fridge.

Yuu jumps nearly a foot and whips around to glare at the older man, "When'd you get here?"

"About the time you were yelling, but that's nothing new. Won't find out what?"

"Nothing." He sends Shinoa a pleading look and she shoots back a smirk in response.

"Nothing at all, Uncle G."

Violet eyes narrow and rake over them, "If you think I'll get mad, stop before I find out, Yuu."

"It's just teenage stuff, nothing to worry about." Guren's eyes take in his fake smile and he smacks him in the head before walking out and Yuu breathes a sigh of relief. Close one.

Shinoa waits until he's gone and leans across the table to look him in the eye, "If you want me to keep quiet, I want to meet him."

"You already have!"

"No, we kept you from jumping his bones, lot of good that did. I wanna talk to him!"

"Me too," Mitsuba adds.

"Not that I care much, but I wouldn't mind seeing the type of person who would willingly deal with you.

"I'm sure no one would mind if you weren't there, Kimizuki."

"Then, it's settled, we're all going to meet him in return for our silence about your illicit affair."

"It's not an affair!"

"Semantics," she replies, waving him off.

"I really don't think it's a good idea."

"Too bad, we want to meet him."

"But, he's…"

"Are you embarrassed of him? You shouldn't be, he's cute. Miles out of your league."

"I'm not...it's just...ugh...fuck. Okay, I'll ask."

"Good," Shinoa sits back with a satisfactory smile. "We'll look forward to it."

Some of us will. Yuu discreetly glances at Yoichi out of the corner of his eye, he hasn't said a word the entire time and he looks about as thrilled as Yuu feels. At least he's not the only one adverse to this. Sorry Yoichi.

~~~~~
"Are you studying, Mika?"

"Maybe."

"It's summer break!" Lacus exclaims in disbelief, "You have months before you need to do homework."

"I'm not really studying, I'm practicing my English. It doesn't hurt to pick up a book every once in awhile."

"It does if you don't need to."

"And that's why your English sucks."

"Yeah, yeah," he flops back on the couch. "I plan on staying right here in Japan, so it's not a problem for me."

"Tourists come here, wouldn't it be nice to be able to help them out?"

"Maybe they should learn some Japanese before they come here."

Mikaela rolls his eyes and goes back to his book, only glancing up when his phone rings. Lacus swipes it before he even has a chance to see who it is. "Is it Yuu-chan?"

"Nah," he answers, sliding up to answer. "It's someone better. Hi mama Krul!"

Mikaela perks up immediately, he hasn't spoken to his mother in a while. Trust Lacus to get there first. "Put it on speakerphone."

"Hello Mikaela."

"Hey Krul, how are you?"

"I'd be better if my only son chose to call me sometimes."

"Sorry, I've been a little busy."

"It's summer."

"Yeah, well that nerd's been practicing his English, so summer doesn't mean anything to him."

"I don't study that much."

"Then you could've called."

"He's been busy corrupting his new boyfriend."

"You're dating someone else now?"

Mikaela shoots the purple haired male a murderous glare and gets a sadistic grin response. "He definitely is. It's been a few months now."

"Mikaela, you haven't mentioned anyone else."

"Well, it's a pretty recent thing."

"Lacus just said it's been a few months."

"He's exaggerating."

"Right."

"I was going to tell you soon, I just haven't had a chance yet."

"Lacus?"

"He's sixteen!" the other male answers gleefully.

"Lacus!"

"Well he is!"

"Mika?"

"Yeah he is…"

"No wonder you haven't told me."

"That's not why."

"We were just kind of rocky for a while, it was complicated."

"Complicated," Lacus snickers. "That's one way to put it."

"Corrupting?"

"Another exaggeration."

"It's not! That's definitely not an exaggeration! Mika took his virginity, I know he did. And his first kiss and everything. The kid's completely lost half the time."

"You're such an asshole! Stop making it sound weird!"

"Is it true, Mika?"

"...A little. But, I mean, he would have dated someone eventually, so it's not like I was really 'corrupting' him. I was just his first." Lacus scoffs. "Nothing else from you!"

"So, you're telling me you picked up a sixteen year old kid and decided to make him yours."

"Yes?"

"And what does he have to say about it?"

"Um…"

"He doesn't say much of anything. I told you he was an innocent. Emphasis on 'was.'"

"Mika…"

"I'm nice to him! Mostly."

"You sure are putting a lot of faith in me."

"What do you mean?"

"You're so spoiled," she sighs.

"Huh? No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. I raised the most spoiled kid and now we're both going to suffer for it."

"No, you didn't!"

"I raised you thinking you could have and do anything. I see now what a mistake that was." Mika shoots Lacus a look of annoyance and mimes punching him in the throat. No one told him to go running his mouth to Krul about Yuu. "When do I get to meet him?"

"What? You actually want to?"

"Of course I want to meet the kid my son's going to jail for."

"I'm not going to jail, but I'm glad you want to meet him because I wanted you to also."

"Because you're a sap," Lacus shouts at him from the kitchen.

"No one asked you! You've said enough."

"How was I supposed to know you were trying to keep it a secret. You don't try to hide it at the dojo."

"Oh? What does he do?" Krul questions curiously.

"Make out with him every chance he gets, scaring the younger students and probably turning on a few of the older ones."

"Lacus!"

"What? It's true," he shrugs. "Ferid just lets you get away with it and you know Yuu won't say anything."

"Anyway! I'll think about when I'll bring him to visit."

"Soon Mika. If you don't, I will come there."

"I was serious! I do want you to meet him. We'll come by the end of summer."

"Good. Bring me some of those wagashi I like when you do."

"Of course." He hangs up and launches the phone at Lacus. "Shut the hell up sometimes!"

"What?! You were going to tell her anyway!"

"Not yet!

"What's it matter?"

"Not the way you told her either! You made me sound like some kind of freak!"

"..."

"I'm not some weird freak."

"I didn't say you were."

"You didn't say I wasn't."

"..."

"Why are you even here?"

"Rene put me out while he was cleaning, so I had no choice, but to come here, sadly. I just hope you don't rub off on me."

"My own mother thinks I'm a freak, thanks to you."

"Nah, she already knew. That's why she wanted to meet him. Probably to make sure he's okay."

Mikaela frowns, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"She raised you," he shrugs. "Krul knows your tendencies more than anyone. She may think he can't hold his own and she'd be right. More than likely, she wants to make sure you haven't messed him up too much."

"...Have I?"

"I don't know. I don't really see him much. He looks better now than he did a few weeks ago, but I have no idea what's inside."

"He cried after we had sex. He didn't tell me what was wrong, but I'm pretty sure it was my fault."

Lacus crumples his bag of chips and tosses it into the trash, "Maybe you should focus a little more on him then."

Mikaela nods, Lacus has a point. Yuu refused to talk about what was wrong, likely for fear of being teased. It shouldn't be that way. Their relationship is largely unequal and if Yuu feels like he'd rather not speak up, then they need to work towards being on equal footing or their relationship doesn't stand a chance.

~~~~~
Yuu wiggles from his perch on Mika's lap, hand clenching in blonde hair as Mika gives loving attention to his collar. His shirt's long gone, so this is probably going to lead to one thing. It's now or never. He pushes away and Mika follows, hands gripping his ass to pull him back, but Yuu wrenches his neck away and places his hands against the other male's chest to keep them separate.

"Hey, I wasn't done," he protests.

"I need to talk to you."

Mika groans dramatically, "Whatever it is, the answer's no."

"I didn't even say anything!"

"But you will," he answers and moves forward to kiss him again until Yuu shoves him back. Mikaela makes an impatient noise, "What is it?"

"My friends want to meet you as payment for not telling Guren about us."

He wrinkles his nose, "I'm not hanging out with a bunch of high school kids."

"I'm in high school."

"You're one, not five."

"Come on, please," Yuu pleads. "I need them to keep quiet for now."

Mika falls sideways, sighing dramatically, and dislodging Yuu from his lap, "One hour, that's literally all you get."

"Okay!"

"But," he smirks, "It'll cost you."

"What? Why? It affects you too!"

"I don't care either way," he shrugs. Yuu blinks, okay that stings. Not that Mikaela notices his flinch, he's already messaging someone on his phone. "You're still here?" He questions, eyes flicking up for a brief second.

"Fuck you."

"Flip it and you've got a deal."

"Take it back."

"Take what back."

Yuu snatches the phone out of his hand, "That you don't care either way! If Guren finds out, we're not going to be together. Act like you care!"

Mikaela blinks carefully and sits up, fingers intertwining with Yuu's to tug him closer. "Of course I care."

"You don't act like it."

"I'm sorry."

"You say that a lot," Yuu mutters back crossly.

His thoughts flip back to his previous conversation with Lacus and Yuu's near breakdown, "You're right, Yuu-chan. I'll meet your friends, you've met mine."

"Fine."

"Can I have a kiss?"

"Kisses don't fix everything, Mika."

"You're right, they don't." He murmurs against Yuu's lips. "But they do help. Actions speak louder than words."

Yuu sighs and pulls him in, "Don't be weird around my friends."

"I'll be on my best behavior. Just for you."

"You better. They already think you're no good for punching me in the stomach."

He laughs quietly, "I forgot about that. Now I really will have to impress them."

"Not too much," the black haired male replies, kissing him back. "You're all mine."

"Mmhmm," he agrees, pushing Yuu down onto the couch and crawling on top of him. "All yours."

~~~~~
Green eyes glance towards the house as Yuu fidgets awkwardly while they wait outside the gates for Shinoa to answer. They chose to meet at her house because it's huge and there's no chance of Guren walking in on them. Maybe one day Mika can actually come to his home, it'd be nice to have him there for once. To have their scents mingling together in his room...in his bed.

"You're making me nervous, Yuu-chan."

"Huh? Oh, good cause I am too."

"Why? They're your friends. You wanted me here."

"No, I didn't have a choice. They wanted you here."

Mikaela's response cuts off abruptly as Shinoa opens the gate with a wide smirk and sticks out her hand, "I'm Shinoa. You must be Yuu's illegal lover, Mikaela."

"Shinoa!"

"You know people keep saying illegal, but Yuu's sixteen," the other male calmly replies, shaking her hand. "I think he's plenty old enough to make his own decisions. It's not like I'm forcing him to stay."

"True, but Yuu doesn't have the best track record for making good decisions."

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?"

"We're very protective friends."

Yuu feels hands drop onto his shoulders and squeeze, "And I'm a very possessive boyfriend."

Shinoa nods slightly, not breaking their tense gaze before turning up the driveway. "Let's go, everyone's waiting."

"I assume Yoichi won't be here?" Mikaela questions, slipping Yuu's hand into his own.

"Yep, he's here, so try to be nice."

Yuu catches sight of Mikaela's grimace out of the corner of his eye. "Why's he here?"

"Because, Mikaela, even though you're also responsible for breaking Yoichi's heart, we are all Yuu's friends and want what's best for him and that includes making sure his boyfriend isn't a jerk."

"Wow, you really are protective friends."

"Yuu would do the same for any of us."

"Would he? I get the feeling he wouldn't even realize he should be concerned."

"You may be right, but we accept Yuu and all his shortcomings. After you."

Yuu drags Mikaela into the room and immediately all eyes come to rest on them. "Guys, this is Mikaela. Mikaela, this is Kimizuki, Mitsuba, and Yoichi." He points to each of them in turn.

"Hello, nice to meet you," he answers with a slight incline of his head.

"Sit," Shinoa points to the chabudai they're all gathered around with snacks on top.

"So, Mikaela," Mistuba begins when he has a piece of cake halfway to his mouth. "How does it feel dating the guy you punched and left unconscious in the middle of the street?"

He pauses, "What?"

"You know when you left him unconscious for anyone to grab!"

Mikaela shoves the cake in his mouth and turns to Yuu, "What the hell have you been telling them?"

Yuu coughs awkwardly, "Nothing."

"No wonder they think badly of me." He gives Yuu a dirty look and glances back to Mistuba, "I didn't leave him in the street, I carried him home with me."

"That's not what Yuu told us," she answers, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"And what pray tell, did he say?"

"That you punched him, he passed out, and when he woke up he was so confused that it took him hours to find the way home."

Mikaela laughs, "That sounds like the kind of ridiculous story he would make up." He leans over the table and drops his voice, "But the truth is much better, wanna know?"

"Mika, no!" Yuu tugs him back by the arm desperately. "Shut up."

"Aw, but Yuu-chan, I want your friends to trust me, unlike you who told them lies."

"I can't believe you lied, Yuu." Shinoa circles her arms around all the snacks near him and pulls them closer to herself. "None for you since you made up that stupid lie."

"You believed it!"

"No, what I believe is that you're trying to hide something worse. That story already made you look bad, so what could you possibly be hiding?"

"Gee, I wonder what?" Mikaela grins.

"I'll guess. You woke up in his apartment, dropped your pants, and made sweet love right then and there!"

"Shinoa, shut up! I didn't, we didn't."

"Did you at least drop your pants?"

"No!"

"Well…"

"Mika!"

"What? I'm just saying…"

"You didn't." Kimizuki glares at them in disgust. "I really thought you had more sense than that."

"Oh fuck you, I already said I didn't."

"No thanks, I'm sure he's already got that handled," the pink haired boy sneers back.

"Can we talk about something else?!"

"I agree, our very healthy sex life is no one else's business," Mikaela adds, wrapping an arm around Yuu that's quickly shoved off.

"You're not helping."

"I'm gonna have to agree with Yuu," Mitsuba interrupts. "You're not a very good influence on him."

"What? Should I be telling him to do his homework and eat vegetables? I'm his boyfriend, not his dad."

"That's not what I said. I'm saying what good have you done Yuu?"

"I give him love, of course."

"You're twenty-two."

"That means I have more love in my bigger heart to give. If I was sixteen, I'd have less love to give."

"Wait a minute," Yuu tugs on his sleeve with a frown, "Are you saying it's not possible for me to love you as much as you love me?"

"It's just an unequal relationship that I'll have to live with."

"That's...no. I can love you."

"Can you? Do you even know what love is?"

Yuu's eyebrows furrow, "Yeah...I mean, of course."

"My point exactly! If you don't even think he knows what love is, why are you with him? You're probably just using him because he's easy!"

"Mitsuba! I am not easy."

"It hasn't been that long, Yuu," Shinoa comments. "Maybe if you told us a few more details we'd understand a bit better."

"She's got a point, Yuu," Kimizuki adds. "It's not looking good for him."

Enough. "My feelings are hurt."

"Are you kidding me?" Mitsuba questions in disbelief.

"Not at all." He turns to look at Yuu, "Yuu-chan, I need a hug."

"Seriously, Mika?"

"Yes," he nods back seriously before leaning over to Yuu and wrapping arms around his torso to snuggle into his chest.

"Mika, wait, stop!" Yuu protests as Mika throws off his balance and sends them both to the ground where he cuddles against him with a happy hum. "Ugh, you're so embarrassing. There's no way that hurt your feelings."

"Anything that questions our relationship hurts me, Yuu-chan."

Kimizuki studies them critically, "Is this why you didn't want us to meet him?"

"Yes! You guys should have just trusted me!"

"I'm kind of glad we didn't."

Mikaela rolls his eyes and lets them fall shut as he settles against Yuu's chest, tuning them out. Nothing they say matters anyway. The stupid blonde girl can doubt all she wants, but it won't change anything. Yuu's not going anywhere and neither is he. He understands their concern, he just doesn't want it directed at him. Only Yuu can question their relationship, he doesn't owe them anything.

Speaking of them, only one of Yuu's friends didn't seem to have an opinion. The timid, cautious one barely spoke. He wouldn't be surprised if it was intentional, afraid that anything he said could be misconstrued as jealousy.

He blinks open blue eyes and finds Yoichi gazing at Yuu with a conflicted expression, seemingly on the verge of speaking. Mikaela takes in the other boy's light green eyes and messy brown hair, he's not unattractive. He isn't sure exactly what Yuu's tastes are, but if Yoichi had spoken up, he probably would have given the other boy a chance.

As if feeling Mikaela's eyes inspecting him, the brunette glances down at him and he squeezes Yuu tighter and glares back, just in case Yoichi gets any ideas about being brave. It must work because the other boy colors slightly and looks away. A sharp pinch to the back of his neck startles him and he looks up at Yuu who doesn't return his gaze. Apparently, Yuu's paying more attention than he thought.

Fine, he'll behave. Mikaela snuggles against his chest and lets Yuu stroke fingers through his air as he relaxes. After all, all Yuu said was that they wanted to meet him, he doesn't have to talk the whole time.

"Did he fall asleep?" A feminine voice questions.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Yuu scoffs. "He's lazy." I won't bother replying to that.

Mikaela lets their voices float over him, asking Yuu questions about their relationship that he gives vague answers to. Shinoa is hella persistent though, she wants every detail, asking questions to some things that not even he wants answered. He'd help Yuu out, but well, he doesn't actually want to be here or on the other end of their questions. Yuu has it handled.

"Do you actually learn anything in karate or do you just sneak off to have sex with Mikaela during class?"

Yuu nearly chokes on his spit at Shinoa's blunt question. "We have never done that!"

"Suuure you haven't."

"We haven't and I'm great at karate!"

Mikaela snorts softly, "Don't let him lie, he's terrible."

"So, you are awake."

"If you're gonna lay there Mika, don't talk!" Yuu orders, prodding him in the back.

"Fine by me." He whips around when a hand drops onto his calf, too far down for Yuu to reach. "Don't touch me," he growls at the purple haired girl's smirk.

"Sorry, I just thought you should contribute more to this conversation and Yuu wasn't going to make you."

"I already have," he answers, shifting his leg away from her touch. "Hands to yourself."

"Like you're so good at?"

"I'm not dating you."

"So? We're all family here."

"Yuu-chan."

"Yeah, yeah." He sits up, carefully dislodges the blonde, and announces it's time to go.

"It's only been an hour."

"I know, sorry, it's what we agreed on."

"Bring him back later."

His eyes flick towards Mikaela and back to Shinoa, "Suuuure."

"Liar."

"He can't help it," Mikaela shrugs. "I don't want to come back."

"So you met him and now you won't tell Guren, right?"

"I suppose we'll have to keep our word," Shinoa sighs. "Although I may come to regret it."

"You won't, trust me! I'm fine!" He waves goodbye to everyone and lets Mikaela drag him out the door. "So, nice, right?"

Mika shoots him a sardonic look, "Let's just say I'm not eager to do it again and I expect extra time to make up for it."

Yuu smirks up at him, "Yeah, I can do that."

Maybe I have corrupted him.