Disclaimer- I don't own Furi Kuri.

It's subtle, the way their act slips and leaves behind gaps through their lives. So subtle, in fact, that they are the only ones who never pick up on it.

Watching them for enough time, it becomes easier to pick up on their brilliant, unconscious subtlety.

His father notices it when the son speaks about her- the acted wrinkle of annoyance on his nose belies the smiling twinkle in the eyes.

When she stops by to drop off his homework or scold him for some errant deed, the father notes that his son pretends to be bored, pretends that he's not studying her face and her eyes and drinking in every word like a man dying of thirst.

Their hands brush against one another on planned accident, hers slipping gently against the hard knuckles on his hand, his urgently pulling against her smaller, softer ones when he needs her help.

Neither notices, but the father does.

Their classmates notice too.

One boy asked for her, and subtly, very slyly, he glanced at that boy with a silent, ferocious protectiveness.

A girl who tried to hang off of him might suddenly, inexplicably be knocked down as she rushes over to discuss "something important".

When they ask about the two of them, they both subtly make eye contact and then shake their heads.

The teachers are amused and annoyed by the way she consistently, doggedly protects him when he skips school, and decides to let it go. No sense in arguing with a girl like that, they say.

A stranger passing them on the street notices easily enough, from the way she pulls him along, subtly making sure that her hand is in his for a moment, then gone the next, teasing him along the path with her. Or the way he groaned and moaned about her nitpicking, but always, always kept her within arms reach, always kept her in sight of his eyes full of adoration.

An old woman on the train hides an amused, pleased smile as she watches the "lovely couple" out of the corner of her eyes. He grips her hand tightly as the machine rumbles onward; making sure that his presence is shielding her from the rest of the train.

Some of them want to scream, "You're in love, idiots!"

Others understand that they'll figure it out eventually.

For now, they can keep up their subtleties, but sooner or later, they'll slip up for good.