"What-",

Kaito was shocked. Literally. Maybe he should check if his ears were functioning well. If his nerves had any anomaly due to daily exercises of tackles and gunshots. He thought he heard his childhood friend just now saying 'I like you' or something. It's a new feeling, really. It's different from her usual remarks of 'pervert' and 'idiot'. Disbelieving his senses, he put down his facade or any poker face behind and showed a genuine reaction of being confused.

"HaAHHh???"

"Don't you hear me, IDIOT!! Aoko says She likes you!!" Aoko retorted.

As annoying or perverted or anything negative people tended to think this class clown was. He was pretty observant. And right now, despite his brain malfunctioning, he could spot some features from his conversational partner. Her cheek was painted in crimson pink. Being a disguised master as he was, he knew it's not from makeup. Her lip was pouting. Her hair was messy as usual that he thought it was cute, like usual. And those eyes-.

Yes, those pair of blue eyes were sparkling like Sapphire, wide opened, focused on him. Those eyes reflected nervousness, but also bravery. If anything, most reflected was honesty. He couldn't stand but to stare back at those blue eyes, gaped. Somehow felt kinds of butterflies in his stomach. His mind was going anywhere except the present.

The day started like usual, really. Because of those routines of watching movies once a month. He woke up early in the ungodly hour (10 AM). Walking and sometimes skipping mindlessly through the road of Ekoda to meet her. Really, he didn't expect much. He didn't expect any of those common routines would change somehow. He didn't even see her confession coming-

-Or maybe he did. Sometimes when being side by side, he would see her cheeks tinted pink like this moment. Being in conversation, sometimes she would stutter and be embarrassed about saying something she wanted. Walking together, sometimes she would say something vague about wanting to try those two paired Yukatas exhibited inside a store to be with in the summer festival.

Maybe he did see the signs. He just decided to ignore it. Somehow he built walls to maintain the distance he felt safe with. The distance that was called 'the status of childhood friend'.

Because…that's how it was, isn't it? He liked her, really. He liked everything about her. He could imagine her running towards him with a mop and he would chuckle and feel happy about it. Even for the silliest reasons. Yet, he didn't dare to cross that line. He didn't want to imagine what kind of feeling she felt for him. He was a coward that didn't want to risk any changes in their relationship. He didn't want to lose her.

Especially now that he bared the cape and monocle. He knew her feelings towards his alter persona. She hated it. She hated that part of him. He, who mocked her father and made him going home late writing reports of failure. He, who stole her father on important occasions. He, who made her alone and lonely, the thing she hated the most. He, who lied to her.

Especially, no ... .isn't it? It's not going to work. Not until he was separated from being a ghost. A phantom.

Constructing his thoughts, he sighed.

She still looked at him with those pretty yet powerful eyes. She was amazing, really. Anything yet he could be. He could put on Poker Face and laughed at the joke. It would preserve the distance that they had before.

But no, she didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve to be lied like that. Heck, He didn't deserve her.

"What do you expect by asking that?" He asked. Voice came soft, somehow like a breeze of whisper.

She blushed a little more. "W-well….Aoko just thought of saying that, though. We have k-know each other for so long and Aoko thinks she should tell you." she answered, stuttering and breaking eye contact a little. She continued, "if Kaito doesn't mind, though."

Words can't explain every aspect he admired about her. Although It strengthened his resolve.

Adjusting his breath, he answered, "I'm sorry Aoko… I don't think the feelings we feel are the same…I suppose you should look for another person suitable for those feelings." Before the girl in front of him could react he continued, "As your seatmate-neighbor-friend, I hope you to find happiness with a good man."

As soon as he finished, he pivoted his ankles and turned back. He didn't want to see her reaction. It's awkward and awfully painful just to imagine. He still put his facade to complete that sentence. Yet, his words were real. At least that's what she deserved, not layered lies. She deserved a normal relationship with a man that did not lie to her. She deserved far more than that. She deserved much better than him. What he said was his true feelings, though. He wanted her to be happy, with what she deserved.