Passing his hand over the sudoku square, Kaito brusquely said, "C'mon Nonoha, you can get this one! The numbers are practically screaming at me!"

"Kaito. I'm not a super genius. I physically cannot see where the numbers are supposed to go. I thought you were supposed to help me with the puzzle, not tell me it's too easy!" Nonoha sighed. "Could you please help me out a little? I really want to solve this one."

Kaito grabbed his pencil out of Nonoha's hand and wrote in two more numbers to the square. "Does that help?"

"Like hell it does! I still have no idea!"

Adding in an entire row of numbers, Kaito asked, "Now can you solve it?"

"NO!"

Throwing her hands up in the air, Nonoha took the pencil back and traced a design on the top of the square, refusing to pay attention to Kaito. In response, Kaito grabbed her hand holding the pencil and quickly guided it back so that the tip of the pencil was in one of the little squares.

Without blinking, Nonoha took her hand back, blushing slightly, and continued drawing her flower design. Her back was set defensively and her hand was rigid, as if she was afraid Kaito might touch her hand again.

Kaito, sitting behind her now, saw her stiffen up and then noticed her slightly pinker cheeks. Watching her closely, he noticed her eyes flicker back and forth from him to her hand, and he understood why she was blushing.

Grinning wickedly, he decided to have some fun with his newfound discovery. Quietly, he leaned over until his head was resting on her shoulder. Nonoha jerked up suddenly and shoved him off of her. "Don't touch me," she said quiet, deadly.

"Why not? It's fun. You react so weirdly."

"Just please don't."

"Why? Do you like me or something?"

Nonoha blushed even deeper red at that comment. "No! I just-"

"So why do you mind me touching you so much?"

Nonoha figured at this point, it was easier not to speak. She probably would just end up muttering something completely unintelligible in her embarrassment.

Looking down at her feet, she sat desperately searching for any response so that the silence, which had gotten long, could stop being so awkward. Then Kaito leaned in.

He placed his thumb under her jawbone and his pointer finger on her chin, supporting her head with his two fingers. "Do you mind me touching you like this?"

Nonoha just stared at him, trying to keep her expressions level while her heart beat traitorously. Kaito took her lack of a response as an indicator for him to keep going. Leaning in closer, he touched his nose against hers. His cool breath washed over her face, and she struggled to not move. "How about this? Is this fine?"

Once again, he got no answer. She was still sitting stiffly, but Kaito could hear her heart pumping furiously. Gently, he leaned in and touched her lips with his own, then pulled away slowly. When he looked at Nonoha, he saw her eyes were closed and she had a half-smile resting on her peaceful face. Opening her eyes gradually, she smiled at him and said, "You can touch me like that whenever you want."