Original Art by kachiyori403 on Twitter

"Fuwa~," I let out a big yawn.

"You've been tired a lot lately," Kenma observed.

"It's nothing," I brushed him off.

I've been running errands for dad and his friends to pay off my debt from using his credit card on Saturday to pay off the barbeque dinner.

I just had to be cocky and choose an expensive restaurant and pay for Aya's meal.

"Anyway, Bokuto has been texting me non-stop since he found out we hung out with Aya-pi last weekend," I told Kenma. "Who even told him?"

I held my chin and closed my eyes, thinking hard on who it could have been. Yaku has been extra annoying lately.

"I bet it was Yakkun," I came to a conclusion.

"We didn't tell him that we were hanging out with her though," Kenma pointed out.

I thought about who else it could've been.

Kai? No way. Lev? Maybe... Yamamoto? That's an even likelier possibility.

"Huh, isn't that Aya?" Kenma pointed out a girl leaving a convenience store.

Her big rimmed glasses glared in the sunlight.

"Maybe not?" Kenma second guessed himself.

"Kenma."

"Hmm?"

"Go on to school without me," I pat his shoulder then jogged over to Sakurai.

Once I got closer to her, I slowed down to a walking pace.

"Hey Sakurai-san! Whatcha doing?" I nonchalantly asked.

"Studying," she responded curtly.

I looked down at what she was reading.

Is that...A FASHION MAGAZINE?!

I tried to suppress my laughter.

She's a lot girlier than she seems.

I couldn't help but poke fun at her.

I grabbed the magazine from her and teasingly said, "Oya? This doesn't look like any study material I've ever seen."

I flipped through a few pages.

"Outfits to land a date"? "10 ways to know if he's into you"? What exactly is she trying to "study"?

"Give that back," she said grumpily.

She's just too easy tease.

"No need to beg," I goaded.

"I wasn't begging," she quickly grabbed the magazine from me.

"Well, I'll see you in class. Hey Kenma! Don't leave without me!" I waved down Kenma as I ran over to him.

"What? You told me to go on without you," he said matter-of-factly.

"You just don't get me sometimes," I sighed dramatically.

Sakurai seems a little out of it today...

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Dinggg dong ding donggg. Dingg dong ding donggg.

Grumble.

It's finally lunch.

I grabbed my lunch and got up to leave but I noticed Sakurai still in her seat staring off into space.

Is she not hungry?

"Sakurai-san?" I called her name.

No response.

"Hey Sakurai-san," I repeated.

Doesn't she eat lunch with her friends? Now that I think about it, I've never seen her hanging out with anyone.

"Earth to Sakurai-san," I waved my hand in front of her face, trying to catch her attention.

"Huh? It's lunch already?" She looked around the classroom.

Did she not notice?

"What were you spacing out about?" I asked.

"None of your business," she responded coldly.

Something must have happened to her recently.

She pulled out her phone and lunch and began to eat.

So she really isn't eating with friends.

"I was wondering, do you always eat lunch in class?" I questioned her.

"Yes, why do you ask?" she responded back.

"Don't you have any friends?" I accidently let the words slip out of my mouth.

Crap, that was rude to say.

COUGH COUGH

Sakurai started to choke on her food right after I asked her that.

"Do you need help-" I walked closer to her.

Sakurai stopped me from getting closer.

"That's...none of your business," she muttered after gaining her composure.

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to pry like that," I apologized then left.

Did I upset her? Maybe I should be nicer to her.

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"Your girlfriend isn't visiting today?" Lev asked after practice.

"Girlfriend? Ah, you mean Sumiko? She's just a-," I paused and thought about our conversation from yesterday, "n acquaintance."

"An 'acquaintance'? Then how come you keep looking at the door," Yaku pointed out.

Was I looking outside that often?

Aya hadn't dropped by at all today. Did I piss her off yesterday? I need to make it up to her.

"Let's get ice cream!" Inouka interrupted.

"You guys go on without me, I have some errands to run," I told the crew and hurriedly left.

Tonight, I was running errands for dad's friends again.

Old Man Abe wanted me to unload product from his truck at 5. And then Grandpa Watanabe wanted me to pick up groceries for him and his bedridden wife and drop it by his place by 6.

Maybe I should go grocery shopping first, then drop by Old Man Abe to help unload his truck, then go to the Watanabe residence. That way I can get home early to study.

I was in deep thought, trying to figure out to maximize my time. Since I've been running these errands, I'd get home late at night.

Just one more week.

After I'm done paying off my debts, maybe I should get a part time job so I can take Aya out on a proper date?

I can't get her off my mind, I wonder if she feels the same about me?

If she doesn't then I'll have to take her on a date so she can get to know me and my award winning personality.

I nodded my head to that sentiment.

My eyes wandered across the street and noticed Aya was walking on the opposite side.

She's here?! What do I do? Should I whistle at her? Should I yell her name to get her attention?

No, calm down. Play it cool. Play it cool. I'm a cool cat. I got this.

I crossed the street and caught up to her. I examined her from behind.

Did she go shopping? Was she hanging out with friends?

She didn't notice me walking closely behind her.

"Fancy matcha dear," I blurted out.

Shit, I tried to say 'fancy meeting you here' and 'whatcha doing' at the same time. 'Fancy matcha dear'? What the hell is that?

I covered my face in embarrassment.

No response.

I looked through the cracks of my fingers. Aya was still walking, with no regard for her surroundings.

Did she not hear me?

I looked up to the heavens and thanked the gods for this second chance.

I cleared my throat.

"Fancy meeting you here," I said confidently.

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