Walking to school, all that the two could talk about was their kiss and the surrounding things. "So, Nishikata."

"Yeah Takagi?"

I have to get used to that, now I find it surprising he doesn't blush by me calling him without honourifics.

"About last night, was that just you desperate to win a match or was that something real?"

I couldn't even hold her hand as a match, why would I kiss her on a beach like that if I didn't mean it?

"Of course that was real, I used to be able to look at your hand and blush."

"Does that mean you have enough confidence to walk to school... while holding hands?"

Nishikata's cheeks glowed red, he wasn't sure.

Even if Yukari doesn't tell, they're going to find out eventually.

Nishikata's confidence remained steady, "Sure, in fact. I'd love too."

"Why do you have to do that! That's my jam!"

Nishikata laughed, "No, you're the teasing master. Unless you want me to go by the god of teasing I'll just stay as the table turner."

"How about god of tables? The Ultimate Waiter? Stickman?"

Nishikata nodded and held Takagi's hand, "How about all three?"

Author's Note: Sorry if that is a bit stuffed up.

Takagi put her bike in the rack and returned back to Nishikata's side. "Are you sure you want to do this Takagi? You don't have to-"

"No," She took his hand, stared at it lovingly, and then back at him, still holding hands. "I want to do this. I've been wanting to hold you're hand while walking into school since the first day we met."

Nishikata blushed but hid it away with a cheerful smile, "Great!"

When they walked in it was as if a red carpet had appeared below their feet, everyone had their eyes on them. Even a few teachers had a sneak peak and a quick smile. Takagi's friends gave her the thumbs up and a reassuring clap, starting an applause all around the hallway. "It's about time! It took you two over a year!"

Nishikata glanced over at his friends, Takao and Hamaguchi were handing thousands of yen to Kimura, he waved with a big smile on his face revealing his half-masticated donut. Just before class started the two found their way into a conversation with Yukari.

"I know it doesn't really matter, but what you saw is something we would not like the entire school to know. So who'd you tell?"

"You mean how I saw you two looking like you were about to fornicate on a public beach?"

"Fornicate? Takagi what does-"

"It means to have sex Nishikata, moving on."

Takagi and Yukari had their own conversation while Nishikata swam in a pool of his thought, deaf to everything else.

Me and Takagi... Having sex? Surely that's way in the future, I don't think we're even in an official relationship yet! That's a pretty big step, what if she gets pregnant? What if we have kids and get married!

At first he was blushing at the thought, but then he observed it more.

That actually wouldn't be too bad, if I can get our child to master teasing abilities and use them on Takagi all the time it'll be so fun! She might even be playing among other of our classmates children! So cute-

Nishikata mentally slapped himself, there was no hand-mark, sound or evidence of the slap but the pain and idea of it knocked him back to reality.

Focus Nishikata, you're 13. A bit young to think about marriage and children.

He was able to listen to the last fragment of a sentence. "The teachers probably would've split us up if they found out."

After Yukari had returned to Mina and Sanae, Takagi faced Nishikata and crossed her arms.

"You froze at imagining us having sex didn't you? Pervert."

"What? It wasn't that! I was just- yeah, I was."

Takagi blushed, "Did you seriously just admit to that?"

"I don't want to lie to you anymore Takagi, there's no point anyway, you can read my like an open book."

"That sounds like a commitment, you know what else is a commitment?"

"Dating?"

Takagi made a money sound with her vocal cords, "Cha ching! So Nishikata, you ready to commit?"

Nishikata couldn't help but smile, he put his hands on her hips and spun her around so she was against the wall. "As ready as I'll ever be Takagi."

She walked back against the wall whilst Nishikata kissed her, followed by a few occasional cheers as other students saw them. They both laughed, they would've stayed like that forever.

And luckily, they did.