It's already 8 PM and Umi's car is currently parked in front of Kotori's house. Their date is such a blast with so many stories left and right that time is all but a forgotten element. No regrets on anything, though. That goes for the both of them.

"Sorry that you had to miss fetching your cousin today, Umi-chan," Kotori says, looking at Umi apologetically while holding the seat belt on her chest.

"Please, you don't need to worry about that. It's not really mandatory for me to fetch her. It's just that my aunt asked me the favor," Umi replies. "I should be the one apologizing for making you skip your work tonight."

"It's okay! My boss likes me so it wasn't really hard to convince him about letting me take a day off today," Kotori explains, her voice bubblier than usual.

Umi appears startled at the statement. "L-Likes? Your boss... likes you?"

Kotori flashes an innocent smile. "Yeah! I'm quite a good bartender so he always tells me that he likes me better than the others. You should visit our bar sometimes with your friends," she chuckles, one hand covering her mouth lightly. "Is there something wrong, Umi-chan?"

"O-Oh, I just thought- I thought you meant..."

Kotori's mouth forms into a circle in realization. "Oh, I see. You thought he likes me?"

Umi doesn't respond. She just tightens both her hands' grip on the steering wheel and lowers her head. She doesn't look at Kotori because her face is heating up. Why did I even think that it's -that- kind of like? Stupid Umi.

"Well, even if he likes me, I'm not really interested in him."

Amber eyes finally shoot up to meet Kotori's, a hopeful smile accompanying it. Umi now looks like a kid who's been told that Santa Claus will be visiting. "R-Really?"

She's so easy to read. "Yeah. There's someone else I like," Kotori chirps with both eyebrows raised, her eyes and smile giving a suggestive look to Umi. From their conversations earlier, she can tell that Umi is a bit dense, but she's going to take her chances in teasing the blue-haired female. "Someone way more handsome and nicer than my boss. And really cute too when embarrassed~"

"Oh." Umi comments, trying not to sound too disappointed. She shifts her gaze back to the steering wheel with a slight pout. "He sounds nice."

So much for finally leaving my single status.

"I actually just met her," Kotori shares.

Umi just nods absently.

"In a very improper way too. But I'm really glad that we met that way~"

Kotori waits for a dawn of realization on Umi, but as she half-expected, it's to no avail. It seems like Umi is moping too much already to even notice whatever she just said. The denseness in Umi is going to be harder to crack than she originally thinks, but from Umi's reaction on the current topic, Kotori knows that her chances with the girl are as big as Honoka's appetite for bread.

"I guess I'll go ahead now," Kotori says, already reaching for the door handle.

Umi immediately tenses up on this one. "Ah, I'll open the door for you."

She goes down from the car and quickly walks her way to Kotori's side. Once the door is open, Umi gives another one of her shy smiles and carefully watches Kotori go down from the passenger seat.

And just like a romantic cliché movie that Umi is never fond of watching, Kotori's left foot hits the car's side sill step and makes her trip on her way down. Ever with the fast reaction, Umi catches Kotori in her arms, the latter's face burying on Umi's chest and both hands holding on to well-built shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Umi asks.

Kotori looks up with urgency. She freezes when she realizes that their faces are now very close to each other that one single move will make their noses touch. They both stare at each other without a word, and Umi can feel her eyes slowly trailing down to Kotori's mouth. It's also the same for Kotori's eyes with how she's gaping at Umi's lips.

With her heart beating really fast, Kotori starts to close her eyes, as if expecting something to happen, and her hands unconsciously tighten its hold on Umi's shoulders. This is it! Kotori can finally have her first kiss replaced!

Umi-chan... please!

.

.

.

Nope, not today.

"A-Are you hurt?" Umi says as she pulls her face away. Kotori's tight grip on her unfortunately makes her think that the girl is hurting somewhere.

"No." Kotori answers with a straight face. She finally lets go of Umi and steps back a little with a pout. "Thanks. For catching me."

"Are you sure? Y-You sound upset..." Umi asks again, the worry evident on her face.

"No, I'm fine! Just tired maybe," Kotori explains, smiling genuinely again to hopefully convince Umi. Stupid Umi-chan. I'll get you next time.

"Really? Do you-"

"Yes, really! I'm just really clumsy sometimes. Thanks a lot for driving me home, Umi-chan!"

Umi raises one eyebrow but chooses to be believe anyway, so she doesn't ask further. "Well... If you say so. And you're very welcome."

They stand together quietly for a few seconds while still facing each other. There's a kind of unresolved tension again, but it's one that is not exactly unwelcome.

"I'll be going inside now, Umi-chan. See you again next time?"

Umi nods with a smile. "Yes. Of course. I'll be texting you."

Kotori finally makes her way to the small gate of her house. She turns to Umi one more time and waves with her sweetest smile before finally closing the metal gate.

Upon seeing that the gate is firmly closed, Umi spins to the direction of her car but doesn't walk to it just yet.

"I like you, Kotori." she says to herself in the most normal volume of her voice, trying to hear how it sounds like coming from her tongue. Umi has a habit of talking to herself when she's alone or when she needs pep talk. She wants to get rid of this habit sometimes, but it comforts her a lot in times of need.

"As if I can tell her that. She likes someone else..." she continues, her voice finally lowering down to an audible whisper.

"Umi-chan?"

Of course she isn't alone.

Slowly, Umi looks to where the voice came from. Kotori is right behind her. In close distance. Probably only two or three small steps away from her.

Umi's mouth forgets how to close itself again upon realizing that she might have been heard by the very person she just mentioned. Her mind, on the other hand, does not forget to tell her to speak.

"D-D-Did you just hear everything I said?!" Umi exclaims nervously, her eyes too round for normal.

"No...?" Kotori tilts her head in confusion.

A sigh of relief comes from Umi. That was close. "W-Why are you out here again, Kotori? Do you need anything?"

"Oh, I forgot my phone in your car. Sorry."

Umi runs with stiff steps, opens the car door quickly and grabs the phone lying on the passenger seat. She tries to keep her hand from shaking as she holds out the device back to Kotori. "H-Here."

"Thank you," Kotori takes the phone gently, making sure that she grazes Umi's fingers. She has her ways. "I'll be going again now. Good night, Umi-chan!"

"Good night, Kotori."

The same scene happens for the second time with Umi standing just near her car and Kotori waving at her before closing the gate from the inside, although the only difference might be the embarrassed blush on Umi's face. This time, Umi decides to get inside her car real quick and starts the engine. She might need to visit Eli and Nozomi tonight and ask how the blonde got over her awkwardness towards the purple-haired girl, all the possible teasing be damned.

From inside the Minami residence, Kotori is leaning on the door of her room, her hand holding her phone tightly to her chest. She pulls away the phone from her and opens the gallery, tapping on the most recent photo of her and Umi smiling together from their lunch date in the restaurant. Kotori does not hold back the very hearty smile she's been trying to keep all afternoon anymore, especially with what she accidentally heard from Umi just now.

"I like you too, Umi-chan."

A/N: More KotoUmi cliché for our gay cliché needs.

Thanks again for reading! Here's to more KotoUmi love!