Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. Best viewed with story width at 1/2 format. (c) Kure Yuki & KOEI Co.

Note: In Japan, the school year starts in April, and ends in March of the following year. It runs under a trimestral education system, separated by short vacations during spring and winter, as well as a month-long summer break. Students attend elementary school for six years, junior high or middle school for three years, and senior or high school for another three years.

The following events take place months after chapter 70. Thank you for reading!

CHAPTER ONE

Summer Date

# # #

A buzz came from inside her pocket. Kahoko instinctively pulled and looked at her phone's screen. Seeing Fuyuumi's name, she swiped across with her thumb.

Kaho-senpai, where are you? Meeting's about to start in a few minutes.

She heaved a sigh; feeling a bit guilty about her answer, she quickly typed it down before she could take it back: On my way.

Truth was, she was just about to leave home. She stared and waited for the confirmation that her message had reached its recipient but once it had she found herself having a hard time pulling her gaze away from the screen. She pored over it some more as if waiting to receive another message.

It had been months since she had concentrated this hard over her phone. The only thing that finally made her tore her eyes away from it was when the auto-lock came on and a tiny reflection of her face greeted her.

Hope was in her eyes followed closely by disappointment that had erupted from the pit of her stomach at the realisation that she was only wasting her time for allowing her thoughts to wander yet again. She had done so well trying to forget those wishful thinking by letting the fact that it was her last year in high school to completely sink in and by focusing earnestly on improving her violin skills. Both had effectively made her mind and body busy the whole first semester. Will she let her hard work be disregarded just like that?

'No,' Kahoko told herself. 'Not again.'

She crouched down to do the shoelaces on her low-top sneakers; standing up, she pocketed her phone again, heaved her tote bag over her shoulder, closed her eyes, and took a long drag of air, filling her lungs then holding it in for as long as she could before releasing it in the form of one lengthy sigh. She made way for the front door.

"Okasan!" she called over her shoulders, hand on the doorknob. "I'm going!"

"Take care, Kahoko," her mother answered from the kitchen.

Kahoko stepped out of the comfortable confinements of her home and onto the streets where the sun was at its fullest but as she walked on, she felt the moderate flow of wind fanning her along the way.

After making a turn on the corner, she found herself tailing a girl younger than her who was talking furiously into her phone. Both stopped for the pedestrian lights to change. Kahoko's eyes drifted over to the back of the girl, and, out of curiosity, she studied the girl's outfit.

From her height and her looks, she was, perhaps, in middle school, wearing a pair of hot pants, a thin blouse, bright pink flip-flops, and on her head sat a straw boater. Kakoko assumed that the girl in front was heading for the beach what with her bikini top slightly visible through her blouse. The last thought, however, made her frown.

Once the light had changed and people were moving again across the street, she wondered what her friends were up to at the moment; and if she, in any way, regretted her decision. But as she passed through the gates of Seiso Gakuin there was no more point dwelling on the topic.

The school was relatively quiet today except for the sound of whistles here and there for sport-related clubs. She knew that they were the only organisations active at this time of the year to prepare for competitions come second semester so it puzzled her why she was suddenly summoned for an assembly.

"Hino?"

She turned at the source of the voice, and saw Sasaki at the edge of the soccer field, towel draped over his shoulders.

"Sasaki-kun," she nodded, shielding her eyes with her hand almost like saluting to him. "Where's Tsuchiura-kun?"

"Already left," he said, smirking. "You must be pissed with the meeting."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on," he said teasingly. "I know all about your supposed trip to Enoshima with Takato and Kobayashi."

"Oh. That... Well, it was not that big of a deal to-"

"How could you say that?" Sasaki said incredulously. "How are you not upset? Takato told me everything about it. The planning, the booking..." He pulled the towel off his shoulders. "And the crash course on surfing. I would be extremely pissed if I were you."

"Eh?" she replied, startled. "Mio told you everything about it?"

"Yeah...so?"

"I didn't know you two were that close," Kahoko sneered back at him.

"What-no!" he blurted out, slightly blushing. "She was the one who called. She sounded so excited about the trip. And I was bored...so I let her talk. Anyway, why are you still here? You're running late, you know," he finished with a satisfied look on his face.

"Oh no!" she said, storming off and giving a swift wave behind her. "See you later then, Sasaki-kun!"

Kahoko ran from the edge of the soccer field to the auditorium where the meeting was going to be held. Through those doors was the answer to why she wasn't having a great time with her friends basking under the sun in her swimwear.

"Good, you're here," were the first words Kahoko heard as she stepped into the auditorium. Kanazawa was standing next to the desk in front, clipboard in hand, and, somehow, she noticed something was different about him today but she was too busy trying to catch her breath to make her mind function properly. "Take a seat, Hino. I'll go get Kira so the meeting could finally start."

A little flushed from running, she nodded and scanned the room. Half of the benches were already occupied by the members of the Orchestra Club. The very club she has been a part of ever since the start of her third year high school.

Her eyes flicked from the first row which was composed mostly by the new recruits then onto the second row where she spotted Shimizu right next to Fuyuumi. As for the third row, there she saw the two members that had rescued her from the torments of being ridiculed for joining the club in the first place: Kaji and Ryoutaro; and what appeared to be a decent space between them.

According to the school rules, there was absolutely nothing wrong with someone from her department to join a club that many saw fit only for those who are from the opposite department. Her move was praised for being groundbreaking and criticised for being downright unfair; but that was before her support team decided to submit their application forms and were immediately accepted into the club. The tension was reduced to nothing but pure admiration for her saviours.

Kahoko knew that that seat was for her because of how Kaji was smiling at her, and Ryoutaro acknowledging her presence with a slight nod. She beamed back, and was about to take a step forward when she heard the creak of the door behind her, and felt a hand land on her shoulder. She turned and met a friendly face.

"Off to find a seat, Kaho-chan?" Hihara asked, smiling at her. She wanted to turn back and look at the two waiting for her but Hihara continued without waiting for an answer. "Let's go find seats together then! How about there?" He pointed at the row right behind Kaji and Ryoutaro.

"Sure," she said uncertainly, keeping her eyes on both the guys who saved her a seat. In return, they were rather shocked to see her walk past them. As the two turned to look at her with perplexed faces, she just shrugged back and offered a weak smile, hoping that they understood her situation.

The door opened once more and all attention went with a snap at the new arrivals. Kanazawa appeared with Kira at his heels. Standing side by side, Kahoko had never seen both men so affected by the weather.

Kanazawa, she only came to realise, did not wore his usual white coat. Instead, he was wearing a pair of distressed jeans and a simple grey shirt while Kira was without his suit jacket. The sleeves of his dress shirt were folded, revealing his forearms, and his necktie was nowhere to be seen.

"It seems that everybody's here," said Kanazawa, eyes sweeping the rows and its occupants.

"Very well then," Kira started with his firm commanding voice. "I know most of you were not expecting any kind of activity for the Orchestra Club to take place till the start of your second semester, and I would like to apologise now for those who have planned or were planning to spend their summer break with trips and such." His eyes went about the room as if waiting for someone to comment on his statement; but when no one did, he continued, "Seiso was asked by the local government officials to hold an end of summer concert to boost the tourism in Yokohama."

The room was instantly drowned in murmurs, and seatmates have leaned in together to whisper conspiratorially at each other. Kahoko ignored the purls on every row, and edged from her seat, tapping Kaji on the shoulder.

"Sorry for asking, but," she said quietly, "Kira-riji mentioned-"

"Something about the local government?" he completed for her, his attention still towards Kira.

"Right." She nodded. "So, I was wondering whether your otosan had anything to do with this?"

"He did," he answered almost like a sigh. He turned slightly to meet her gaze. "I told him about recently joining the Orchestra Club, and he thought that there was no better way to display my return to music than performing in front of local citizens and tourists alike."

"Talk about one supportive otosan," Ryoutaro added.

Kahoko gave a giggle at his remark, and heard Hihara and Kaji sniggered. A loud clap rang out and every members' attention came back to Kira.

"It seems that you're all quite taken by the news," he said clearly. "It's a pleasure to announce that Seiso has accepted the request. However..." he handed a pile of pamphlets to Kanazawa who distributed the sheets to the members. "As you can see, it's going to be done in an open venue that caters to a huge crowd, and with the current number of members in the Orchestra Club, I've concluded that it won't be sufficient even after asking the head of the club to look for support outside of Seiso Gakuin. Please, elaborate, Hihara-san."

Kahoko looked at Hihara who stood at once when he was suddenly addressed by the director. The fact that he was now managing the Orchestra Club had not sunk in yet for her; and up to now, she still could not help but compare him to his predecessor: Ousaki.

Hihara and Ousaki has the same fondness for the club and have willingly given their extra time to make sure that the members are guided accordingly; but the only problem that Kahoko and the others have observed is that, Hihara lacked authority over the group. Often times when a member slacked off or did not submit themselves to his lead, it ironically came into either Ryoutaro or Kaji to handle the crisis.

"Yes," Hihara said, a bit embarrassed at how loud and formal he had to make his voice sound across the room. "I've asked some of the former members of the club who are also studying at Seiso Daigaku, and have listed down the names of those who have agreed to participate, but it's still a small addition. We need more brass musicians, and, if possible, string musicians as well."

Kira crossed his arms, sighing at Hihara's explanation and request. "I thought so," he said. "That is why I came up with the last resort I could think of... Seiso will be performing alongside another academy."

"Eh?" Kahoko said inaudibly amidst the louder version of her response around the room.

"Kira-riji," Ryoutaro called, shooting a hand upward, not at all deterred by the announcement. "Which academy would we be playing with?"

"Fujijo Gakuin," he said casually. "You all have the whole day tomorrow to rest. Rehearsals starts on Monday, after lunch just like today, and will be done here in Seiso for the following weeks leading up to the event. I expect everybody to cooperate with Fujijo for this concert." He casted one sharp look on all of them, then said, "Is there any more questions?"

Satisfied with the silence the whole club gave him, he nodded once and left without another word.

"All right," Kanazawa said just as the door closed. "You heard Kira, but before you leave be sure to take your scores here." And with that, he, too, left the room.

One by one the seats were emptied, and every member heading for the door made a quick stop at the desk to look for their respective scores. Hihara excused himself, and apologised profusely for not sticking around. He was to get himself to another meeting for a presentation due on Monday morning for his summer classes. Ryoutaro had also excused himself to resume his soccer practise with the team. Fuyuumi explained that she had relatives dropping by for dinner so she was told to go home after the meeting and Shimizu had offered to walk with her up to the corner where they would have to go the opposite ways.

"So," Kaji started, smiling as they thumbed their way through the scores. "It's just you and me now, Hino-san."

"Oh." She turned just in time to see the last member exit the room. "It seems so."

"What's keeping you busy lately?" he asked, checking if he got the scores he needed.

"Nothing much," she said, shrugging. "Just been practising a lot."

"Really?" he said, not at all convinced. "Because I heard that you were supposed to-"

"Oh, please," Kahoko groaned. "Don't tell me Mio told you, too?"

"Apparently," he chortled, amused at how she had reacted to his piece of information.

She shook her head good-naturedly as she propped the scores neatly on the table before slipping them inside her bag. The second the papers had touched the bottom, she felt a buzz from her pocket, making her jump a little. Her hand hastily dug the phone out from her denim skirt. Not bothering to look from whom it was, she swiped to read, her mind thinking radically for the possibility that it could finally be from-

We just finished our crash course on surfing. It was so much fun! Our instructor was pretty cute! We got nice tan lines, too! Hope you were here with us.-Love Mio & Nao

Her breath hitched as another wave of disappointment washed over her. She thought she could restrain it but this time her chest gave in and felt it ache. She bit her lower lip, trying so hard to force herself not to let every emotion out at an inappropriate place and time.

"Hino-san?" that voice and those fingers around her wrist eventually pulled her out of her personal suffering. "Are you all right?"

She looked up, and saw Kaji frowning and peering down at her as if she was seriously ill. Slowly, he loosened his grip on her wrist.

"Hino-san?" he repeated.

Clicking her phone, she lied, "I-I'm fine."

"What's the matter?" he offered, taking his hand off of her wrist. "Did something happen? Did the message upset you?"

"I'm just-yeah. You're right. I'm upset," she said, stringing together a good enough excuse to use on him, "because Mio and Nao are having a great time without me."

Kaji stepped back a little, surveying Kahoko who had withdrawn her eyes on him, from head to toe. "That's not it, is it?"

"What do you mean?" she mumbled, pocketing her phone.

"You're a bad liar, you know," he said, laughing lightly. "This is not the first time I've seen you that upset over a message."

"What?"

"I mean, I've seen you like this before," Kaji said. "You've been making the same face at the start of this year."

Kahoko suddenly felt self-conscious. "You were watching my reactions to the text messages I get?"

"Don't say it like that," he said quickly. "You make me sound like a stalker. It wasn't that hard to see because we've been seatmates since last semester. I just hope my messages do not make you do that reaction."

"They don't."

"Good," Kaji sighed, then with a firmer tone, he said, "I can't help and notice-and it wasn't just me. Takato- and Kobayashi-san have also noticed, and they were the first to confront me about it."

Kahoko's eyebrow flinched upon this, and drove her attention back at him, more self-conscious than before. "You've been talking about me?"

"We're just worried, Hino-san," he said, eyes softening at her. "But it wasn't that bad because you somehow got over it, and I was thankful when it did...till now, though."

"Oh."

"Do you mind telling me what's really bothering you? Perhaps I can help?"

She felt herself ease down on the platform. "I guess I have no choice, huh?"

Kahoko didn't like being comforted like this, especially not by Kaji-a guy. She had always pictured this scene of her telling this particular matter to Mio and Nao, but somehow, she could also see Mio stirring things up and Nao following suit no matter how serious the topic was for her. She needed someone sensible to understand her and now that it had presented itself, even though it was from the opposite gender, she had no choice but to trust Kaji. Besides, she knew that she had to get it off her chest at some point.

She heaved a sigh, and looked up at Kaji. "Last night-early morning, rather, I got a missed call."

"And?"

"Isn't it strange for someone to call on such an ungodly time of two in the morning unless it was an emergency," she said. "But what really made me wonder was the number that registered on my phone."

"What about it?"

"It was too long, unlike the contact numbers here in Japan," Kahoko explained, feeling her phone in her pocket. "And I was too sleepy at that time that I accidentally deleted the number." She gave another sigh, then continued, "I guess, what I'm trying to say is...it made me wonder-or for a better word-hope; that it could be from him... From Tsukimori-kun."

"Oh," he said. "I should have known." Kaji moved closer, and crouched down to look steadily into her eyes. "No word from him yet?"

"Yup," she said bitterly.

"Since he left?"

"Since he left."

"I see..."

"I mean," Kahoko started, feeling somewhat sorry for herself. "I just don't understand the whole thing. I thought we were friends, you know." She shot Kaji an encouraging look. When he gave a nod once, she continued, "But after he left, it felt like...so did our friendship. I just don't know what to make out of it."

"Me neither," his voice was so mellow and comforting; it evoked her into opening up more.

"I really don't get it," she mumbled, shaking her head, shoulders hunching in defeat. "I thought we were close...after everything, and because the day before he left, he...well, he..."

Words weren't enough to say what she wanted to but in response her body acted upon it: her right hand soared over her left shoulder, half-embracing herself as she hung her head. She didn't want to close her eyes, but she just couldn't help it; and the second she did, she vividly remembered every single detail of that moment where Tsukimori had wrapped his arms around her, completely forgetting at how close Kaji was watching her and her spontaneous demonstration.

The sound of Kaji's loafers against the floor had put an end to her reverie. She glanced back in front of her only to see Kaji no longer there. He was now standing next to the window, staring at the sunset with furrowed eyebrows.

"Kaji-kun?" she called, breaking the momentary silence.

"I'm sorry," he said, narrowing his eyes at the setting sun. "I should not have asked you from the start. It seems that it's a very personal matter to you."

"It is," admitted Kahoko, slightly confused as to why he had suddenly distanced himself. "But I also need help about it."

He tore his eyes from the window, and let them stare back at her, arching an eyebrow at her last statement.

"What if it was me who went away, and I never made contact with you," she said helplessly. "Surely you'll feel-"

"Confused, disappointed, and, maybe, a bit angry," he answered, moving back in front of her. "I might even go crazy about it."

"Exactly!" she said, standing up so fast that she almost stumbled forward. It was fortunate that Kaji had moved back in front of her, catching her by the shoulders thus steadying her in place. "Oops?"

Kaji chuckled, and gave her a lopsided smile, instantly making her blush.

"Or," she said slowly, "do you think I'm thinking way too much into this?"

"No, not at all," he said. "I'm certain I'd give the same thought about it if I were you, but don't let it take over you, Hino-san. You should know when to take a break from it."

"I guess..." she said, stifling a yawn then continuing, "you're right."

"Tired?"

"Just a bit," Kahoko replied, waving her hand. "Slept rather late last night."

He gave her a disapproving look. "Really now?"

"I was too absorbed into my playing that I forgot about the time," she countered defensively. "Then there was that mysterious phone call. Had a hard time going back to sleep!"

"Hmm," he huffed, shifting his visage to a contemplative one. "Are you free tomorrow?"

"Yeah," she said reluctantly. "I think so, why?"

His lips twitched into a smile, and clearly declared, "Go out with me."

"W-What?!" she stammered, cheeks turning red. "Like a d-date?"

"Friendly date, Hino-san," he assured her. "We might as well take the chance before the rehearsals. What do you say?"

"Well..." she said, throwing a cautious look at the window, on the desk, the rows, and then to his hopeful emerald green eyes. With a resigned tone, she answered, "Okay."

"Excellent!" he beamed, squeezing her shoulders lightly. "But promise me you won't stay up too late tonight so we both are in good spirits by tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay."

"Oh, and another thing," he added. "You look great in skirts, but can you wear your most comfortable pair of jeans for tomorrow?"

#

Seeing that there was no harm in what Kaji had advised her to do yesterday, she did as she was told. Sleeping early had benefitted her upon waking up. She found her mood to be better and her mind was clear of all negativity. The weather felt considerably cooler than yesterday so wearing a pair of jeans was a good choice which she matched with a pastel yellow openwork top. To complete her friendly date outfit, she slipped on a pair of floral flats.

'Not bad,' she thought, checking herself in the mirror. 'Next, hair.'

In the middle of deciding whether to put half her hair in a ponytail or not, Kahoko heard the distinct roar of engine outside. The noise was brief that before she could approach her balcony to see what it could have been, it suddenly died out. She shrugged the thought away and decided to keep her hair down for the day.

There was a knock on her door followed by her mother's voice, "Kaho?"

"Yes?"

"Your date's here," she said thrillingly.

At this, Kahoko rolled her eyes and opened the door to see her mother beaming mischievously at her. She shook her head, closed her bedroom door, and proceeded downstairs.

Kaji was sitting on the couch with perfect composure. He wore a black fitted shirt, dark denim pants, and on his lap lay a leather jacket.

"I hope I'm not too early?" he said as she stepped into the living room. "You look amazing."

"Thanks," she said, embarrassed. "You look great, too. Your timing's perfect, don't worry."

"In that case," Kaji said, standing up, jacket in his arms. "Maybe we should get going?"

"Are you sure you don't want to have tea before you leave?" Mrs. Hino insisted, smiling at them.

"And let me watch you bombard him with questions?" Kahoko said, raising an eyebrow at her mother. "No. I don't think so."

"Oh, Kaho, I was just joking," she said, hiding her grin with her hand. "In that case, let me just get something for you before you leave."

"Okay?"

Mrs. Hino darted out of the living for a few seconds and came back clutching onto something. Kahoko realised that it was actually one of hers: a beige cropped fitted blazer.

"You might need this," her mother said, handing over the clothing to her then she turned to face Kaji and with a slightly stricter tone she continued, "Do be careful you two and please bring her back home safely, Kaji-san."

"I will," he answered. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Kaji led Kahoko to the door where Mrs. Hino both bid them goodbye. The pair made their way out of the gate and before them stood a black sport-type motorcycle gleaming against the sunlight. Two helmets sat on the seat as polished and brand new-looking like the vehicle.

"How do you like our ride?" he asked.

"Are you serious?" she said disbelievingly, turning on her heels. "It's yours?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "A gift from my ojiisan."

"No way!" Kahoko exclaimed, moving closer and around it to get a better view of the machine. "So this is why you asked me to wear pants today."

"Exactly."

"Hmm," she said, finally stopping beside him. "This is really just a gift? What's the occasion?"

"No occasion-it's more like a bribe. Anything to make me consider taking medicine for college," he explained, pulling on his jacket. "Well, enough about the motorcycle. Put on your jacket, grab your helmet, and let's get going."

"It's a blazer," she corrected him before pulling it over her shoulders.

He handed her the extra helmet which she slid onto her head at once. He then swung his leg over the motorcycle, positioned himself firmly at the driver's seat as he centred his weight on the vehicle before kicking the side stand back in place. At the roar of the engine, Kahoko gasped a little at her discovery.

'This was what I heard a while ago,' she said to herself.

"Are you hopping on any time soon, Hino-san?" he asked, looking at her all puzzled.

She nodded; placing her left hand on Kaji's shoulder and her left foot on one of the foot guides. Seeing how easy it was for him to get on, she mimicked the swift motion he had done and was pleased when she landed squarely onto the pillion.

"Good," he commented. "Hold on tight."

Without really taking in a word he said, Kahoko loosely wrapped her arms around his torso. It was out of worry for she thought that closing the gap between them might mean something else. The second the machine made a minor jerk forward, she found her whole body pressed against his and her arms were no longer loosely wrapped around him.

"I told you," Kaji laughed. "Hold on tight, please?"

"Fine," she mumbled, blushing underneath her helmet.

As the motorcycle drove through the city, Kahoko was rather astonished at how well Kaji had handled their ride. He had no difficulty squeezing through between cars and trucks, and overtaking slower vehicles or outracing fellow bike riders. Taken by his smooth driving, she was a bit saddened when they slowed down and eventually came to a halt at the parking lot of Yokohama Landmark Tower.

Kahoko had no trouble getting off; it was as easy as getting on. Kaji turned the motorcycle off, retrieved her helmet, and removed his before following her onto the lifts looking quite dashing compared to her who was regretting every bit for not putting half her hair, or all, into a ponytail. She had to struggle combing her locks with her fingers as the elevator climbed floors.

The doors opened and Kaji ushered her towards a restaurant packed with people mostly dressed in formal attire. Some wore smart casual but it cannot conceal the fact that it was a sea of impeccably clothed socialites.

"I hope you don't mind us eating here for lunch?" Kaji said, smiling at her.

"I don't," she said hesitantly, still scanning the restaurant for a hint of anything but classy patrons. "But I hope they don't mind me dressed like this."

"You have nothing to worry about. I told you before; you look amazing and just so you know," he leaned in to whisper. "I've dined here underdressed loads and I got away with it every single time."

She grinned back at him which he took for the go signal to proceed inside. They were welcomed at the door by the waiter who gave them such a low bow Kahoko felt so honoured to be there. As he resumed to a rather stiff standing position, he gave Kaji one good look before perusing at an open book propped on the small podium by the entrance.

"Reservation for a table for two by the window," the waiter declared. "This way, please."

With another bow-curt this time-he guided them to a handsomely arranged table right next to, possibly, the biggest window Kahoko had ever seen in her entire life. He handed them the menu, stood back a bit, and waited patiently for their orders.

Her eyes skimmed through the contents of the leather-covered menu and after a few seconds decided to snap it shut. Everything printed inside was in another language but there were tiny translations underneath them. The corresponding prices for each item was what made her close the menu so quickly.

Across the table, Kaji lifted his eyes from his menu. "What's the matter, Hino-san?"

"N-Nothing," she stuttered. "Is it okay if you ordered for both of us? I mean, you do dine here a lot and it is you're treat...also you know what I like so I trust you on the matter."

"Sure," he said, putting his hand up in the air. "No problem."

She sighed in relief when Kaji had finished telling the waiter their orders. As the plates were being settled down on their table, she noticed that he was a well-balanced eater. He had ordered salad and bruschetta topped with chopped tomatoes glazed with balsamic vinegar for appetizer. Next, a rib eye was served grilled to perfection along with a nice bowl of classic carbonara for sharing.

"Shall we then?" he offered.

"Yes, please."

They tucked in accordingly; with every bite, Kahoko couldn't help and be delighted by how good every selection was. This was not her first time to eat somewhere fancy but this was the first time she was truly enjoying it. The meat was juicy and tender whereas the pasta was simple yet al dente in texture. As she was chewing her third forkful of carbonara, she noticed Kaji looking at her as if searching for something.

Swallowing, she asked, "Is there something on my face?"

"No," he said, cutting through his portion of steak. "But I wish there was."

"And why is that?"

"So I could brush it off," he added, prodding the meat and shoving it in his mouth.

As he did so, a bit of sauce had brushed the side of his lips. She giggled at this causing him to look at her at once.

"What?" Kaji said, frowning.

Kahoko took the napkin next to her glass and reached over to gently wipe the bit of sauce for him. "You should pay more attention to yourself and not at me."

"Oh," he uttered, a bit startled. " Thanks..."

As they finished the rest of the meal, they agreed that both still had room for dessert and ordered to share a plate of strawberry crepe. Seeing that she had mostly single-handedly consumed the last order, he called upon the waiter for their bill who came back with the receipt holder. Kaji opened the holder, checked if everything was in order, placed a few bills in it and gave it back to the waiter with the clear mention of "Thank you" before standing up and escorting Kahoko as they leave for the lifts and down a few floors to browse around the shops in the same building.

The first shop they went to was an apparel store. She felt rather embarrassed walking around with him and with all the attention the staffs were giving him. He practically looked like a model or an actor waiting to be discovered, the latter having a higher possibility to come true; after all, he assumed the role of Romeo on last year's Culture Day and everybody who saw it was impressed with his performance.

"Hino-san, I think this might look good on you," he said, bringing her back to reality.

Her cheeks went red at the sight of the dress. It was considered a little black dress but it was too fitted for her taste and it looked like something only confident, mature, and sophisticated women can pull off. She shook her head and saw Kaji placing it back with a tiny frown lingering on his lips.

Nothing on the clothing department have caught their eyes so they moved to one of Kaji's favourite stores to browse in at: a gold and silver jewellery shop. Silver accessories are his greatest weakness, something he had personally shared with Kahoko during one of their lunch breaks at school. When they stepped inside, he walked over to the earrings' section. Just looking at the earrings on display was enough to know why Kaji was hooked on their products.

The details on every piece of jewellery were intricately done that she was sure they were made with a lot of time and effort. Her eyes darted from one to the other with increasing amazement. Then they abruptly stopped on a lovely pair of earrings.

She could feel her mouth part in awe while taking a step closer towards the glass case. Kahoko's eyes widened at the sight before her: a pair of beautifully crafted stud earrings, both different in design yet paired together. One was a G-clef and the other was an F-clef. Unknowingly, her face was now inches away from the glass when she heard the saleswoman's voice from behind the counter.

"Would you like to try it on, miss?" asked the saleswoman with a polite smile.

Kahoko pulled away with such haste that she almost lost her balance making her emit a tiny squeal. "I was just looking. That's a really gorgeous pair."

"It is, isn't it?" Kaji added, appearing by her side and peering down at the display.

"Yup," she sighed.

"Maybe you should try it on?" he suggested.

"No! It's okay. I don't think I can even afford it right now," Kahoko said, alarmed. "You know what, I'll just step outside and let you finish your shopping, okay?"

Before he could persuade her to try it on or ask the saleswoman to get it out for him, she exited the store and made to stand next to the doors.

After a few minutes, he stepped out with a small paper bag in his hand and a wider smile than before. It was small enough that he slipped it in the inside pocket of his jacket. He looked so happy with his purchase that she likened him to a kid who had gotten a toy he had been wanting or a sweet he had been longing for.

For their last stop, Kaji took her to the sixty-ninth floor of the building, at the Sky Garden to have a decent conversation while looking out onto the skyline of Yokohama and its neighbouring natural beauty. Once on the floor, Kahoko could not hide her gleefulness to see the sky so clear and the sharp outline of Mount Fuji from afar.

"So," he started, leaning on the railings and looking back at the mountain. "Where do you think you'll be after high school?"

"Well...I still don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" he said. "Haven't you thought of any college you would want to apply to?"

"I have... I just don't know if I'll ever be qualified," she said, staring blankly ahead. "What about you? Where do you think you'll be after high school?"

"I got two choices," he said, his attention on the skyscrapers. "Take medicine to stop ojiisan from nagging me any further, or take otosan's advice and go with what I truly desire."

"At least you got choices," Kahoko said quietly. "Ne, Kaji-kun."

"Hmn?"

"Have you ever wondered why we call our iconic mountain Fuji-san and not Fuji-yama like the rest of the mountains here?"

He stared hard at the mountain as if the answer was written on it. "I guess it's a sign of respect," he finally answered. "But not necessarily like the one we use on people. I think it's more for a better title, like the Eiffel Tower of France and the Great Wall of China."

"Oh, that does make sense," she said. "I never quite understood that fact when I was younger. Oneesan actually convinced me that there was a mythical man living in the mountain named Fuji-san and he loves and takes great care of the mountain like it was his wife but he never had any kids because that would be so weird."

Kaji threw his head back and laughed openly at her amusing story making the few people on the same floor to turn their heads his way instead of the great scenery sprawled before them. Kahoko tugged on the sleeve of his jacket to silence him.

"Sorry," he said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eyes. "But that was very imaginative of your oneesan."

"I know," Kahoko moaned, rolling her eyes. "And I believed her for five years of my childhood life-oh, wait a second."

Her phone had buzzed from inside her pocket; trying desperately not to let herself get all worked up, she casually took it out, and was rather relieved at the way she had acted.

How's your date with Kaji-kun? Was it romantic? Did he make a move on you yet? Did you feel any kind of spark?-Mio & Nao

Snorting back at the message, she typed her reply: I don't know what you're talking about.

Kahoko triumphantly smirked after tapping the send button, relishing in playing innocent about her friendly date.

"You're smiling," Kaji said. "That's a good sign."

"Am I?" she said, pocketing her phone. "I was actually being smug."

"As long as you're not frowning," he added. "I'm glad...whatever that message was about."

He tilted his head slightly to the right, allowing a warm smile to stretch across his lips. She was stunned at how natural and handsome he looked with the glow of the sunset hitting his face that she felt very fortunate to witness something so agreeable.

"Well," he started, reaching out for her hand. "I think I ought to get you home. I don't want to make a bad impression by driving you home after dark."

"Oh," Kahoko managed to say, blushing from his notion. "Right."

As they headed back down the ground floor, the only thing that was occupying her mind was how surprisingly fast the day had come to an end. Everything was wonderful, as far as she was concerned, and being with Kaji for the whole day was relaxing in a way that even she cannot fully explain. It just felt normal and fun-fun that doesn't necessarily mean it should be about jokes and laughter, although they did have a few of those. No, it was different, and she liked it that the moment she got on his motorcycle, her arms automatically went around his torso without thinking of anything else anymore.

Trusting Kaji more was the right move, a conclusion she had made when they arrived safe and sound at the gates of her home. Kahoko got off, removed her helmet and waited for him to turn the motorcycle off. When the roar died, he got off, too.

"Well," Kahoko said, handing him the extra helmet, "see you tomorrow, then."

"Yeah," he said, buckling the straps of her helmet then slipping it over his arms before removing his. "Is it all right if I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How did I do?" he asked, curious.

"Eh?"

"I'd like to know how I did on our date," he said, his right hand unconsciously scratching the nape of his neck. "If it's okay with you."

"Oh." She could feel her blood slowly creeping up towards her face from how adorable he was presenting himself; and because of that, she knew that there was no way she could hide how she truly felt about their date. She gulped, and said, "I really had an amazing time... You did really well."

"Really?"

Kahoko nodded. "Really."

"You're not joking, right?"

"Of course not!" she said, punching him lightly on the arm, thankful for the immediate distraction.

"I just thought because of the whole Fuji-san thing."

"I'm not joking," Kahoko said, and then, with a gentler note to her voice, she continued, "I'm rather thankful that you asked me out. It was really nice, and I really enjoyed it. So thank you."

She watched as Kaji's hand pulled away from the back of his head, and hung limp by his side. His eyes were on her, and she noticed that his cheeks were emitting a faint glow of pink.

"No, thank you," Kaji said breathlessly, taking a step forward. "You have no idea how happy I am right now." He slipped his hand in the inside pocket of his jacket and took out the small paper bag from the jewellery store. "Here."

"What's in-no!" she said even before she could ask him what was inside. "You didn't!"

"I did," he said, smiling at her surprised reaction. "How can I not?"

"This is too much," Kahoko argued.

"No," he whispered, taking a step forward and leaning quite close almost touching his forehead with hers. "It was worth it."

Kahoko felt a tincture of tingle run down her spine from how close he was standing in front of her. She only blushed as he bid her a pleasant evening, and followed him with her eyes when he hopped once more on his motorcycle, helmet back on, heard the roar of the engine, and waited for the blazing tail lights to fade into the darkening road. She heaved a sigh and turned on her heels-a buzz issued from her pocket.

It was a longer buzz; an incoming call. The thought of Mio and Nao wanting to check on her, yet again, popped clearly in her head. She dug the phone out of her pocket, and without caring how her voice would sound, she said in irritation, "What now?"

"Hino?"

She froze at the mention of her name...and that voice.

"It can't be..." she whispered, unable to think of a better response.

"Hino," it repeated; the voice more familiar and apparent to her. "It's me."