"So, uh, where are the others?" I ask, scanning the crowded street. "Are they late?"

"Hm?" Nemo looks at me with an obviously fake ignorance. "Oh, they're not coming."

"Heh?"

"I never invited them."

I do not know why, but for me it feels natural for Nemo to reveal her lie so openly.

"Uh, why?"

"Eheh." Nemo put her hands on her back, leaning forward and tilting her head in that generic cute girl manner.

"We've never done things together, have we? Just the two of us?"

"Can't say we did."

"The others got to know you from the field trip, right?"

"What, you're jealous or something?"

"H-huh?!"

Nemo steps back, as if not expecting me to call her out so blatantly.

"W-well, it's just that I don't feel like I know you as well as Tamura-san and the others." she says, forcing a smile. "I just want to be a better friend, you understand?"

"Why lie, then?"

"If I've said that it'd be just the two of us, would you have come?"

"Point taken." I shrugged.

"So, where are we going?"

"Ah! Right!" Nemo put her hand into her handbag and pulled out two pieces of paper.

"There's cinematic release for an anime that I want to watch."

I take one of the ticket.

Ah, it's that 'cute girls doing cute things inside tanks' thing that has gotten popular lately.

They've done planes, they've done ships. I guess the ground pounders don't want to get left out.

"You know I never really into this moeblob stuff."

"Ah, yes, I know you're into those edgy shows that think they're deep or something just because they show sex, violence, and random symbolism."

Are you mocking me now?

"But this show has a lot of action scenes as well! The story isn't exactly deep, but there's absolutely no bad character in it! Everyone is a best girl!"

Nemo suddenly looks oddly enthusiastic. I'd hate to admit it, but her genuine cheer is something I can appreciate. Usually Nemo's smile just creeps me out, like she was wearing a mask. But this one is unusually sincere.

"Sure, I guess. I can spare a few hours." I shrug.

"Great!" Nemo perks up and starts walking, leading the way.

I follow somewhat hesitantly.

Honestly, walking together with Nemo, I feel somewhat conscious.

She's way too pretty.

I feel like one of those ugly friends a popular girl tend to keep to make herself look nice.

"Hey, Kuro."

"Yeah?"

"I've never seen you smile."

"I smile all the time."

"Yes, but it's always this awkward smile that people do when they make mistakes."

Really? Are you picking a fight?

"And you smile so often that it's weird." I decide to shoot back. "It's not like you can always be happy. Aren't you tired keeping that face all the time?"

Suddenly, Nemo stops, and looks back at me.

Her smile is still there, but her eyes are dead.

I've seen those eyes before.

Each time, I always feel like I am about to be killed.

"Uh, sorry." I apologize instinctively.

"You know what, Kuro?" Nemo tilts her head again, but instead of being cute, this time it really makes me fear for my life. "It's still an hour until the film starts. Why don't we get something to eat first?"

"Okay." I say quickly, in a manner similar to how a hostage would speak to the person holding a gun to her face.

Nemo quickly find a small coffee shop located near the emptier side of the block. The way she walks tells me that she probably has been in here before.

"Ah, Miss Nemoto, welcome back!" said a well-dressed waitress. "It's been a while!"

"Table for two, please!"

The waitress lead us to a table near the window. As we walk there, I notice that all of the patrons here are females. Must be one of those establishment targeted towards young girls. I wonder if males even allowed here.

"Please call me when you're ready to order!"

The waitress walks away, leaving a fancily decorated menus on the table.

"I have no idea what any of these food is." I say.

"Want me to order for you? Just tell me your taste."

"Well, I-"

All of my thoughts suddenly stop.

I look at the table at the other end of the shop.

There are two young girls sitting there. Probably first year of high school.

They're pretty, I guess, though not exactly memorable. But their faces are not what draw my attention to them.

It's their lips.

They're touching.

"Wha...Wha…?"

"Ah, right. I haven't told you yet."

Nemo looks at the two girls with her chin on her hand, staring at them as if they're the most normal thing in the world. I also notice that all of the other patrons are paying the couple zero attention.

"This spot is popular among lesbians."

Lesbians?

Like...real life lesbians?

Not that romanticized 'girls love' that you often see in manga?

"Are you disgusted?"

"Huh?"

Nemo is looking at me with that strange smile of hers.

Why did she bring me here? Is she trying to play a prank on me? Trying to get me flustered?

Sorry, but that's not going to work.

"I think they can do whatever they want. I don't really care,"

"Oh, is that so."

Her voice is still monotone, but I can almost swear that her smile is getting slightly wider.

"Uh, you've been here before?" I ask, just to keep away the awkward silence.

"Yeah, with A-chan."

A-chan? Oh, the pineapple.

"She just walked straight out of the door the moment she saw two women making out."

"Quite the innocent one, isn't she." I chuckle.

"Indeed she is. So can you please stop trying to corrupt her, Kuro?"

I crumple my face. "It's not like I'm actively trying to teach her about ero things. She just keeps asking me about it ever since Mouseland."

"Wow. You're dumb, Kuro."

I shrug and let the insult go, choosing to focus on the menu.

"You know Kuro. You're right."

"Hm?" I respond softly, not moving my eyes from the menu.

"It is tiring to smile all the time."

"So why do it, then?" I ask, not entirely caring about receiving an answer.

"Well...people tend to hate me if I don't smile."

And...she gets my full attention.

"Are you sure you want to talk about this kind of things with a person like me?"

"Yeah, I'm fine with it." she says bluntly.

Silence falls. The kind of silence that I hate.

"You don't need to smile in front of me if you don't feel like it."

"But you're the only one that can make me genuinely smile."

"Huh?"

Okay, is she messing with me?

"It's true. I don't feel like I have to force myself to smile around you. Yet I smile anyway."

Is...is this a compliment?

"Uh...thanks?"

"Hm."

Silence falls upon us again, but this one...this one doesn't feel as uncomfortable as before.

"So, ready to order?" she asks.

"Uh, not yet. I was kind of...distracted."

I cannot see Nemo's face behind the menu, but I can feel her staring at me.

"Hey Kuro."

"Hm?"

"Is that boyfriend position still open?"

If I had been drinking, I would've spat it out right now.

"Uh, no. I think they know it was supposed to be a joke."

"Hm...do you actually want a boyfriend?"

I think for a moment.

A boyfriend...what exactly is a boyfriend going to do for me? I used to think that getting a boyfriend is par for the course as a high schooler, but...

"No. At least not for now."

"What about a girlfriend, then?"

Seriously? You're going to go this far just to prank me?

"If I don't know any better, I'd say that you're genuinely trying to hit on me."

"Oh, I wonder."

Nemo intertwines her fingers and put her chin on them, staring at me with a look that I didn't think could exist outside of a drawn media.

"If I apply for that boyfriend application of yours, would you accept me?"

"If you're a boy?"

I imagine Nemo as a boy.

"You'd look like one of those manipulative boyfriends that con young women out of their money."

"Oh."

"But honestly? I've actually known you for long enough to not judge you by appearance. You're a nice person. More or less. And it's not like anyone have sent in their resumes."

"So..?"

"I guess...I'd accept you as my boyfriend?"

Nemo suddenly smiles. A smile that's a lot different than any I've ever seen on her face before. It's like she's smiling with her entire body. Her eyes are bright, and her body springs up with vigor

"Okay then, Kuro." she clasps her hands together. "From now on, you are officially my girlfriend."

It takes a while for her words to reach my brain.

"Wait, what?"