Huh? You're In Love With Me?
"A-ah." Aoko only managed to stutter that.
"Hey…" Kaito advanced a little bit towards her while still feeling shocked. "Aoko, are you…being serious?"
"AH!" Aoko suddenly hit him in the face and quickly ran away.
Oh no! What a predicament! The idiot found out and what's more I hit him! What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? I need to trick him somehow-Ah no. If I do that I'll just selfishly get angry and selfishly start crying again. Fine. I guess there's only one thing left to do now.
"Since it's already out I'll just tell it to him straight!" Aoko quickly stopped in her tracks and ran full speed back in Kaito's direction.
"Gya!"Kaito exclaimed as she jumped on top of him and pushed him to the ground. "H-hey Aoko."
"That's right." She started tearing up a little. "That's right."
"Huh?" Kaito just continued to stare while laying there.
"I love you..." Little tears start running down Aoko's cheeks. "I love you so t-that's…why I was embarrassed to tell you. I was really sad…and angry that you l-looked at other girls. That's all."
"Aoko." Kaito called out her name unconsciously.
"That's why…you didn't have to…say sorry. It was my entire fault, you…didn't do anything wrong." A drop of tear suddenly fell onto Kaito's face.
"Then…I don't have to keep lying to myself right?" Kaito suddenly sat up and embraced her gently.
"Kaito?" Aoko felt confused yet happy at the same time. "I love you."
"Ahhh!" Kaito suddenly lets go of her while blushing and covers his mouth. "A-ah! I just realized how embarrassing this is. S-sorry."
"W-what?" Aoko sat there looking stunned.
"U-um well I'm not very good at saying these sorts of things and even though I like girls, I've never been alone with one girl at one time." Kaito's face blushed wildly as he turned away from Aoko.
"B-but it's fine right? Our feelings are mutual after all." Aoko started crawling toward him slowly.
"A-ah! N-no because I like other girls too and I-I go for the face s-so…" Kaito started stuttering.
"So you don't like me because I'm not cute?" Aoko asked feeling dejected.
"N-NO! You're really cute. A-Ah no I mean…ugh it's just that I didn't really think this would've…ever happen." Kaito still red started scratching his head a little. "S-so I'm not sure what to do…in a situation like this."
"Kaito what are you trying to say?" Aoko cocked her head to the side a little.
"W-well I'm really not g-good at this but…um…well it's just that this is the first time I'm confessing to someone, n-not like I love you or anything." Kaito started flailing his arms around in the air. "I-it's just that I really d-don't know what to say."
"Kaito, do you like me?" Aoko asked him gently.
"I-I don't know but lately you're all I think about. It's not supposed to be like this…" Kaito's expression suddenly turned crestfallen. "I mean….w-we're childhood friends after all."
"Are you happy like this?" Aoko abruptly sprung up and clasped both of Kaito's hand.
"Ehhh?" Kaito's face turned bright red once again because he was taken aback by Aoko's sudden action.
"Are you happy when I hold your hands like this?" Aoko asked feeling flustered.
"I-I am. N-no I mean well-"Kaito started stammering again.
"Kaito your hands are sweating." Aoko squeezed them a little tighter.
"N-no they're not! I mean t-they are but that's b-because you're holding them-Ah! I'm n-not a pervert or a-anything like that okay?" Kaito started feeling more flustered and turning redder.
"T-then isn't this fine as it is?" Aoko raised her voice a little while crying.
"Aoko…" Kaito stopped flailing around and looked at Aoko with affectionate eyes. "Somehow…my h-heart is racing…it looks like I a-also love you."
"Kaito….Kaito!" Aoko filled with joy leapt onto him and hugged him tightly.
"You really shouldn't touch me so fondly, there's no telling what I might do." Kaito warned while sighing a little.
"It doesn't matter because I love you." Aoko closed her eyes peacefully as she pressed herself closer to him.
"You're too liberal with the word love." Kaito smiled as he embraced her back." If you keep saying I'll never let you go."
"Then let's just stay like this for a little while longer." Aoko whispered as she stayed stationary.
"The floor is dirty you know?" Kaito mentioned.
"I don't care." Aoko dismisses his concern casually.
"It's going to get dark soon." Kaito warned.
"It doesn't matter." Aoko replied bluntly.
"You're too much for me." Kaito sighed as he complied with her demand.
"You've finally calmed down?" Aoko asks quietly.
"Yeah." Kaito replied gently.
*Late Afternoon*
Aoko and Kaito walk in silence along the river route that they normally take. It was a soft comfortable silence that enveloped them gently. They didn't look at each other but the smiles on their faces showed how happy they were to be able to walk next to each other once again.
"Aoko you're smiling like an idiot." Kaito mentioned as he glances over at her face.
"I'm sure you're smiling uncontrollably too." Aoko stated without even looking at him.
"Yeah I am." Kaito replies honestly.
"Do you want to hold hands?" Aoko suddenly turns to look at him with a warm smile. She offers out her hand while blushing a little.
"A-ah sure…I guess t-there's no harm in that." Kaito blushed and takes her hand slowly. "R-really, how can you say this without feeling embarrassed?"
"I am a little but… if you think about it; throwing away a little bit of pride of someone like you is nothing." Aoko smiled happily as she squeezes his hand a little. "Right?"
"Aoko, when did you become so cute?" Kaito placed his right hand over his face to try and cover up his bright red face.
"Hmm I guess when I started falling for you?" She replied innocently.
"Geez this is all your fault." Kaito suddenly stops waking and grabs her hand. He flings her around to face him directly.
"Kaito?" Aoko cocked her head to the side slightly. "What's wrong?
"You wrapped me around your little finger as much as you like and now you're acting as if it's no big deal." Kaito stated while flushing.
"Eh?" Aoko stared at him for a little feeling confused.
"It's your fault that I can't hold back." Kaito griped her shoulder with his hands and leant in slowly.
Just when their lips were millimeters apart a gust of wind blew Aoko's skirt up. A few passing boys whistled and mad vulgar comments. Aoko quickly pushed Kaito away to hold her skirt down. Kaito looked down at the embarrassed and angry Aoko who didn't even say a word. Feeling agitated that those kids made him lose his chance he moved Aoko aside for a little while. Kaito then abruptly started yelling at the litter kids for being rude and disgusting. He was really angry; not only because he missed his chance but also because Aoko didn't defend herself.
"Kaito…you can stop it now." Aoko tugged onto his shirt while blushing.
"Why? Why didn't you defend yourself?" Kaito retorted. "You were highly capable for doing it? What's the matter?"
"I don't know b-but thanks for covering for me." Aoko looks towards her feet but clutched Kaito's shirt even tighter. "Getting angry for my sake, thanks."
"N-no problem." Kaito's angry disappeared and a new feeling of shyness rushed over him.
They stand there looking into space and avoiding each other's eyes for a little while due to their embarrassment. Kaito then suddenly moved his hand closer to Aoko until his finger gently brushed hers, he pretended that it wasn't on purpose though. Aoko looked over at with a gentle smile and respond accordingly by taking his hand. She started guiding him down the road slowly.
"I still can't believe this is happening." Aoko smiled.
"I know, it feels sort of like a dream." Kaito commented.
"That was really cheesy Kaito." Aoko laughed wholeheartedly.
"You don't like cheesy comments?" Kaito laughed along with her. "Haha man, I feel so sad that I'm going to start rebelling now."
"Aren't you going to stop causing trouble now since you're…with me?" Aoko asks while feeling embarrassed.
"Hmm, no I still think I'm going to cause trouble for you and everyone." Kaito answered with a smile.
"Huh? Why?" Aoko asks in shock. "I'm going to have to clean up your mess all the time then."
"True but if I fix my troublemaking attitude now then Aoko won't be concerned about me anymore." Kaito said while looking at her with a cheerful expression.
"W-what? Isn't that stupid?" Aoko retorted while blushing.
"Isn't it?" Kaito smiled while holding her hand tighter.
"You're so annoying! I hate you." Aoko lets go of his hand and hits him on the head.
"I love you too." Kaito quickly takes back her hand.
"E-eh? L-let go idiot." Aoko hastily shakes off his hand and crosses her arms.
"Is Princess Aoko feeling embarrassed?" Kaito ask jokingly. "What happened to that confident and love struck girl just a moment ago?"
"S-shut up!" Aoko blushed as she started picking up her pace. Kaito chuckled as he watches her walk faster. He then runs to catch up with her.
"What's the matter my lady?" Kaito teasingly asks.
"G-go away." Aoko tried to hit him with her bag but fails.
"Oh my, the little angel is getting angry." He comments while laughing a little.
"Kaito!" Aoko yelled in embarrassment.
"Ahaha sorry, I just wanted to tease for a bit, it's been a while since I've done it." Kaito lets out a breath of relief. "I missed it a lot."
"What? A-are you only with me because you want to tease me?" Aoko asks while sulking.
"No." Kaito steps in front of her and turns around. "I'm with you because I like you…a lot."
"O-okay." Aoko blushed while diverting her eyes.
"Aoko don't make that sort of face." Kaito felt his heart beating rapidly.
"W-why? Does it look weird?" Aoko quickly turns to face him as she places her hands on her face.
"Yeah it does but I can't really tell." Kaito replied.
"W-what do you mean?" Aoko asks in panic.
"I think there's something on your face but I'm not sure what, can you move closer?" Kaito asked with a determined face.
"O-okay…" Aoko lent in a little closer to Kaito. "Anything?"
"A little more, there's something in your eyes I think." Kaito frowned a little.
"Eh?" Aoko looked a little shocked but she still went closer to Kaito. "This is embarrassing, is there anything there?"
"Yeah I see it." Kaito replied as he presses his lips onto hers gently. Aoko suddenly widens her eyes as she realized what was happening. As she was about to push him away in embarrassment Kaito puts his arms around her to prevent her from escaping. Aoko tried to struggle a little but he was too strong so she gave up and responded to his kiss. After a few seconds Kaito lets go of her and pulls his face away.
"Thanks for the meal." He winks.
Aoko still in a daze just continues to stare at him.
"I liked it too." He said while suddenly hugging her.
"Kaito." Aoko embraced him back with her face all flushed.
"Now that we've kissed, shall we go to a love hotel?" Kaito jokingly asks her.
"Okay…" Aoko replied while still in a daze.
"W-what? T-that was a j-joke Aoko." Kaito quickly lets go of her while feeling flustered.
"Huh? What?" Aoko cocked her head to the side because she was still in a daze from the kiss.
Kaito squats down and clasps his head in between his hands. His whole body was feeling hot.
"A-ah! W-what do I do? T-this is moving too f-fast. Oh my god, what am I going to do?" Kaito continues to mumble to himself.
"Kaito you dirty bastard." Aoko bluntly stated as she regained her composure.
"O-oh so you knew it was a joke?" Kaito looks up at her with relief.
"Go die!" She yelled as she kicked him where the sun doesn't shine.
"Gyaa!"
"You perverted moron! How could you say that?"
"I-I'm sorry! It was a joke! Please don't hurt me."
"What a sick joke, you can just go die! I want to break up!"
"N-no don't Aoko, please we just started going out!"
"Says who?"
"Aokoooooo!"
"Shut up you bastard!"
"No I love you, don't hurt meeeee"
"I love you too but this is unforgivable."
"Uwahhh! O-ouch! S-stop please! HAVE MERCY!"