She is such a cheater. Also, she's damn fast.

How none of the juniors noticed what she just did blows Akihiko's mind, and his hesitation to grab her hand before she left is perhaps for the best, that would have let to some strange conversations. No one is looking at him sitting there, dazed, and he'll take it because his ears are ringing, and he'd rather not discuss her daring curveballs with the dorm entourage. The whole day has already been crazy enough, he's not sure what little nerve he has left can take more frazzling.

Akihiko just finishes his meal quietly to stay inconspicuous and as he exits the kitchen, Iori looks up at him with a scrounge of concern.

"Dude, did you overdo it again?"

"What?"

"I don't know how you can stand to run so much in this heat and not faint man, but you look like you need to lie down."

He blinks back, scratching his hair.

"Yeah, maybe I'll do that."

On that note, he goes back upstairs, fiddling with the little paper in his pocket absently and leaving the juniors to their occupations.

Akihiko has been laying down, toying with his phone for a good twenty minutes, musing what to type. Not that it's hard to send a greeting, but doing it from his very empty, cold bed just drives the point that his nightly escapade was particularly amazing in retrospect and now it's all he thinks about. Sleeping might just never be the same again; everything her little aflame hands touch changes shape for him and it's bewildering. There's a thousand things he could write, that he wants to say, but that feels more like words he should convey in person instead of through text.

Phones are for emergencies or leaving messages on Aragaki's voice mail because he never answers; Akihiko's not much of a texting person but he figures that if he doesn't send her anything, she might take it the wrong way. Especially after he's apparently forgiven for his treachery with her alarm, and how she radiantly made her exit.

He sighs, before he finally presses the send button on something innocuous and probably too formal.

Hi, it's Akihiko, you can add me as a contact too.

At least now she can reach me if anything comes up.

And deep down he hopes she does; it might be easier to get a hold of each other this way than hoping for chance encounters in her busy schedule. He flips the phone closed and barely puts it down on his comforter before it dings.

Well, that was fast.

Thank you and done :D XX

He smiles absently, thinking he might use his afternoon to try and hunt down Shinji for a catch-up meal, they haven't talked in a while and he's still damn hungry. That would be a good distraction, today is pretty special so far and he could use some predictability to keep himself grounded.

Akihiko pokes around in the alley near the station but doesn't see the figure he was expecting to find. Sighing, hunger pangs starting to become a distraction, he makes his way to the ramen shop anyways.

Maybe I should adjust that meal plan to take sanity runs into account.

Despite the warmth, the restaurant is packed, and the only free spots are near the window looking toward to the plaza of the strip mall. He takes a seat, not in any real hurry to order; he's got all day. A shadow passes behind him and takes the next seat, grumbling something under his breath. Akihiko just replies back.

"Ah, so that's why you weren't at your usual haunt, you were waiting for me to snag a free meal."

Aragaki rolls his eyes and groans at him, exasperated.

"Like I'd wait for you to show up all day, dumbass."

He chuckles under his breath and looks at his oldest friend with affection. Shinji narrows his eyes, suspicious.

"You gonna go about one of your recruitment speeches again Aki? Just tell me now so I can up and leave."

"…I'll keep it for the end. I'd like you to come back to the dorm, but I'd rather you sit instead of rushing out. Okay with the extra large special?"

The lanky teen adjusts his beanie absently, looking at him strangely, but he nods. Akihiko just gets up to order and comes back, eyebrow raised in interrogation at his unchanged expression.

"What?"

"What, he says. Wow, you really softened up, who slapped you around?"

Stormy eyes narrow in irritation.

"I can still kick your ass, don't tempt me."

Shinji grins maliciously in reply and cuffs him lightly on the shoulder.

"Bring it, I'll send you on a merry-go-round."

Taking a deep breath, Akihiko softens his gaze and looks out the window instead.

"… You're lucky I'm exhausted, or I would."

The server brings their bowls and they both take a few burning bites before resuming their conversation.

"I take it you're still trying to train yourself to death, you moron."

Eh, if only you knew, you'd laugh at me.

He smiles softly, still looking through the window.

"We made a promise, and I'm going to keep it. Also, I can't say I'm not having a lot of fun, Tartarus can be very… fulfilling."

Shinji slurps his ramen, shaking his head.

"Only an idiot would treat shadow hunting as a hobby. Somehow, that idiot being you, seeing how insane you get about fighting, is the least surprising thing you've told me this year."

Akihiko chuckles, smiling to himself, imagining Minako plunging down the frontlines with a grim smile.

"Well, she likes it, and she's anything but."

He takes another pinch of noodles to his mouth, realizing what he just said, but Aragaki stays silent. Then, he chuckles softly with a tinge of something like affection.

"You two are clearly made for each other, it's almost a crime. Why am I not surprised? There's fire in that red minx, she's violent."

That sounds a bit… weird.

"How would you know Shinji? You're not there, and you don't know her."

And then hazel eyes narrow in answer like they hold a secret, and Shinjiro smiles like a predator.

"Oh I was there. I saw in her action and boy did she impress. That girl has my respect, I wouldn't make her mad."

Wait, what?

Akihiko narrows his brows in confusion, that makes no sense.

"What are you talking about?"

And Shinji just laughs.

"Must have been early summer or end of spring. Her and some of your juniors came to the back alley where the bad crowd hangs out, looking for rumors about a bullied girl from Gekkoukan."

He sips some broth, smiling at him still, like he enjoys knowing about something he doesn't.

"Some punks were trying to pull them through the ringer, even folded the cap guy in two, but she just stood her ground and gave those dudes a trashing. I was about to rough them up for her, but she did all that herself, barely had to intervene to chase the rabble out. We had a nice chat too."

They went there by themselves, and he didn't even know about it… And then she…

Suddenly, Akihiko just starts laughing, amazed, and somehow not that surprised. Aragaki raises an eyebrow.

"I take it she never told you about it?"

"That's the first time I hear about this, that was reckless."

Shinji just grumbles in reply, looking outside at the strip mall courtyard as he chows down. His eyes light up and he smiles knowingly, fixated on something.

"Maybe she didn't want to ruin your impression of her, keep the delicate little sunflower image going, that's one cute little number that catches the eye alright."

Akihiko eyes him curiously, then follows his gaze to see what caught his attention, and it's her.

She came out of the bookstore on the first floor, holding two volumes in her hands and making her way to the plaza; he could spot those hairpins sitting in copper from a thousand miles away. Someone seems to call to her, and she turns around back toward the bookstore to meet an old lady. Minako is smiling at her and talking with contagious enthusiasm, while the storekeeper keeps trying to pass her wrapped treats like she's a dotting grandma. Eventually they part, not before she hugs the smaller frail woman with affection.

So, she works here too. And that's where all the treats the juniors get come from.

Seeing her so suddenly, he's reminded of her liveliness this morning, and the kiss she dropped on his cheek, how it felt to have her close to him all night… And he's probably smiling like an idiot because Shinji is looking at him with shocked eyes and a weird purse of his lips.

"Aki, you're almost 18, did you just discover girls? Shit, I thought you were broken."

Silver eyes stay fixated on her figure, walking toward the station with a spring to her step.

"Shinji, I don't care at all about girls."

His friend snorts derisively.

"Really? Because that's not what this looks like."

He sighs, dreamily pensive, thoughts just full of her. And perhaps because Shinji and him have known each other forever and went through hell together, the words just stumble out unfiltered for once.

"She's not just a girl, it's because it's her, and she's burned her way in everything I know."

Blinking at the enormity of what he just said, Akihiko resumes his meal like nothing just happened. It feels different when he's verbalizing what's going on in his mind, which is for once, clear of any interference.

They both stay silent a good long time and Shinji doesn't even move his chopsticks, fixing him with an intense gaze he doesn't want to acknowledge. It's not his style to stay silent, at all.

If you even try to be funny, I'll…

"…Did you tell her?"

Akihiko doesn't answer, keeps eating slowly, eyes glazed.

"Fuck man… I've never seen you like this, it's weird."

He lightly chuckles at this one. Shinji nudges his shoulder roughly.

"Aki."

He looks back at him, serious.

"Maybe… You should tell her that."