It was such a stupid reason to fall in love with someone. He had been struggling to reach a high up book on a shelf, wobbling slightly on his tiptoes for a few brief moments before I decided to intervene. I grabbed the book for him, handing it over with a blank expression. He returned my gesture with such a wide and sincere smile that my heart reached incredible speeds that I didn't know were possible. His cheeks were a little red from what I assumed was embarrassment and I suddenly found it very hard to swallow. He thanked me for my help and scampered off, my eyes following his tiny form and forcing my feet not to follow as well.

All he did was smile and show me his gratitude for a small favor and I was turned into a hopeless, lovelorn fool.

I was very quick to notice that he was in the library as often as I was after our minuscule interaction. He was reading a new book almost every day. Either he had a short attention span and was constantly switching what he was reading or he had enough time on his hands to speed-read the variety of novels he went through. It was hard to keep up. I wanted to read all the books that he had read as a way to sort of get to know him better. It somehow just made me feel closer to him. I was particularly ecstatic to learn from my book-stalking that his name was Onodera Ritsu. We sat at different tables, but I always kept him in my sights.

I loved seeing his reactions to what he was reading. At times I'd hear a small chuckle leave him or see him purse his lips in thought or even see him rub at his eyes insistently to hide the fact that he was tearing up. It always made me want to know what he was reading. I wanted to know what made him smile and laugh so I could imitate that, I wanted to know what made him cry and frown so I could avoid that, I just wanted to know everything. It was pathetic, really.

Talking with people wasn't exactly one of my fortes and I feared that I would somehow scare him off if I approached him. Not to mention, this feeling of want, this inexplicable desire to hold someone through the night and into the day, this need of seeing someone's face just to feel at ease, all of it was new to me. It was scary to be so enraptured in someone. It was terrifying to know that someone else had so much power over me, power that he didn't even know he had. He could snap his fingers and I'd likely fall apart. If I saw someone else behaving this way I'd probably scoff and roll my eyes at their idiocy.

It didn't help that watching Ritsu from afar suddenly wasn't entertaining enough for the cruel deity laughing at my hopelessness.

I was reaching towards a book when a smaller, more delicate hand came into contact with mine. I looked over, my breath catching in my throat at the sight of Ritsu ripping his hand away and returning my gaze anxiously. He opened his mouth, looking like he was about to apologize for nothing.

"You can take the book, Onodera." I said quickly before he could speak, not enjoying the sight of Ritsu appearing so guilty and worried.

"How do you know my name?" Came the quiet, nervous response. The book was quickly forgotten by us both. I felt like I was short-circuiting when the question left him, wracking my brain for any possible excuse or lie, but my mouth started moving without my permission.

"I love you."

There was a pause between the two of us, the air around me feeling as if it were crushing my bones.

"...eh? Eh?!" His face flushed a beautiful shade of red, but I didn't have the time to admire it because I was desperately trying to think of a way to prevent Ritsu from sprinting away.

"What I meant to say was-well-would you want to go out with me sometime?" I asked, watching his surprised, flustered expression closely. He shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, as he opened and closed his mouth, grasping at straws for his response.

"Y-Y-You know I-I'm a guy r-right?"

I almost wanted to laugh. Out of all the things he could've said, this was what he decided on. A corner of my lips quirked up in amusement as I started to find it a little easier to breath.

"Yeah, I'm aware." I replied. "Does it bother you that I'm a guy?" I asked.

"I-no! Not really? I don't-" He inched closer and closer to retreating.

"It's alright, Just take a breath, okay? You don't have to say yes." I assured him, though I would have really, really liked for him to say yes, but I tried not to lead on to that.

"I-I don't even k-know your name..." He started, seeming to try to find some sort of excuse, perhaps wanting to spare my feelings instead of outright rejecting me.

"It's Saga. Saga Masamune."

He nodded slowly, visibly swallowing as he wrung his hands, seeming to be carefully considering his next few words.

"O-O-Okay...I-I'll go out with you...Saga-senpai..."