Naru could feel the blood draining from his face. Mai gulped, turning a bright shade of pink.

All the finalists were ushered into a hall that had an entire foliage of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. And mistletoe only meant one thing.

The contest host laughed gaily. "This is exactly what it looks like. I'm sure everyone was expecting another tough round that required team work, but this is what couples are all about- love, and how do we express this love?"

The crowd that had gathered to watch the final round of the contest began chanting. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

"That's right!" the host continued. "And the couple that can kiss for the longest time wins this round and will be crowned The King and The Queen of tonight's couple festival, and win tickets to Umami- the most famous five-star-fine-dining restaurant in Tokyo! Cash prizes, watches and gift vouchers just top the cake!"

Everyone cheered, except Naru and Mai. She looked up at him and gave him a bright smile.

"This should be the point where we leave." She said, chuckling.

Naru could see the disappointment in her eyes. He nodded. "Definitely."

Mai turned on her heels, ready to walk out, but Naru grabbed her hand.

"This definitely should be the point where we both leave, but I've done a lot of crazy things today—the craziest was meeting you—and I hope I don't come across as a pervert, but we could stay, and do another crazy thing together."

Mai gasped. From the little time that she knew Naru, she knew this was something that would make him incredibly uncomfortable to say, and it was almost surely out of character for him. Especially how his ears had turned red and he refused to look straight into her eyes, or how his palms had turned sweaty. Mai felt awkward and confused and was stumped for words for the very first time in her life.

"I've never kissed anyone" she half-whispered, among the cheering and noise around them.

"Neither have I" Naru replied, face blank and completely undecipherable to Mai.

He bent down slightly to bring his face to her level and placed a small kiss on her lips. "Now we both have."

Mai grinned at him, feeling a surge of overwhelming happiness searing through her skin. Naru let go of her hand and they followed the rest of the couples to the middle of the hall. There was something strange in the air around Mai and Naru. Every molecule of air around them seemed to be filled with an aphrodisiac. It was overwhelming how in such a short span of time they had suddenly unravelled an ocean of new feelings, feelings they'd never felt before.

And neither of them heard the host yell begin, or the crowds around them going "aww" or cooing. In that moment Oliver Davis simply held Taniyama Mai and dipped his face down to kiss her on the lips first softly, and then a little deeper. She let her hands drop to her sides as she kissed him back, not sure what to do. He held her face between his hands and leaned into the kiss, taking her upper lip between his lips.

Mai gasped in his mouth, trying to take a breath, but Naru didn't let her. She opened her eyes (when had she closed them?) and saw him slightly indicating to her to breathe through her nose, his piercing blue eyes staring deep into her soul.

Her soul.

He was looking right into her mind.

He would see then.

He would know.

Mai froze. Naru tried to urge her to not stop, but she stepped back and away from him, panting. Three other couples were still kissing. She could feel hot tears springing to her eyes, threatening to fall. Naru stood wide-eyed and panting, his pale face flushed, looking at her questioningly. Mai turned on her heels and sprinted out of the hall, through the crowds.

Naru ran after her, right out of the building. He could spot the flower crown in her brown hair among the other people and followed that. He finally caught up to her when she stopped running.

"Mai!" he called out.

She whirled back, startled, and lost her footing. Naru reached out and caught her in time by her elbows, and helped her stand. They looked at each other in the eyes for a long time, searching for answers or something to say. Both of them had revealed a certain weakness to each other the same day they met. It was uncharacteristic of both of them to let their weaknesses show, and yet they did. Her eyes were red, and she looked apologetic, but she said nothing at all. Naru didn't say anything either, and let go of her hands. He sighed and led her to the closest beverage stall they could find.

As the dark-haired boy ordered, Mai winced and then laughed.

Of course they'd have tea.