chasing Manjiro down while Mitchy watched from the sidelines, amused yet petrified at their antics.

    Guess Manjiro isn't shy around Michi anymore...

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With Manjiro and Keisuke by his side, Takemichi walks casually back down the street to his apartment.

    Well, Keisuke and Manjiro were still arguing from what happened earlier, but that was the least of Takemichi's worries.

    "—I FOUND HIM FIRST!"

    "So? I proposed first!l

    "THAT WASN'T A PROPOSAL!"

    "YEAH IT WAS!"

    "MICHI!"

    Takemichi groans in frustration. "I can't hear youuu~!" Takemichi sings with a grimace—covering his ears and walking at a fast pace to distance himself from the two ridiculous boys.

    "Yes you can!"

    "You're a terrible liar, Mitchy..."

    Takemichi rolls his eyes at the comments, trying to focus more on the sounds of the streets instead of the annoying children behind him. He couldn't believe they were fighting over something so ridiculous! Besides, why were they fighting over him in the first place?

    Was it even possible to get married to a guy?

    Takemichi stores the question away later for when he sees his mother. Surely she would know!

    ...but even if there was a possibility that it was allowed, Takemichi would never marry his best friends! That was just wrong! If they were to get married, then they wouldn't be best friends anymore! He can't let that happen, no matter what.

    Right as he rounds the corner to his street, a heavy weight rams right into his body.

    Why does this keep happening to him?!

    Falling on the concrete slab, he misses the way the two boys behind him gasp and erupt into fits of laughter. It was almost silent—a ring vibrating in his ears as he tried to make sense of what was up and down.

    Well...the sky sure was pretty. A baby blue with white clouds. The clouds look soft to the touch...he wants to touch a cloud. Or eat one.

    What would a cloud taste like anyways? It must be fluffy—like cotton candy! Maybe it was sweet?

    The sun was pretty bright too. Apparently people go blind by staring at the sun for too long, that's what his mom says, and—

    Something, no, a boy leans over Takemichi, blocking out the sun. His cropped blonde hair was illuminated by the sun behind him, making a halo appear around his head. Emerald green eyes scan over him and—was his lips moving? Or was it his imagination?

    "—orry, I'm really sorry!" Oh—he was talking!

    Takemichi blinks warily and carefully sits back up causing the blonde to lean away from the curly haired boy. The ringing in his ears have dissipated and all that he could hear was the frantic apologies spilling from the stranger's lips.

    "—ease forgive me! I didn't mean to, I swear on my cat's life!"

    Takemichi's brain is suddenly very clear and void of clouds, baby blue skies, and bright suns.

    "You have a cat?" Takemichi asks, completely forgetting the incident that happened mere moments ago. The stranger blinks confused a few times before his face lights up, an excited smile pulling at his lips.

    "Yeah! Do you like cats too—" The stranger doesn't get to finish his sentence when a pair of arms scoop Takemichi up from the sidewalk. Embarrassed beyond belief, he glares at Keisuke who pointedly ignores the curly haired boy. Keisuke was apparently too busy growling (yes, growling, like a dog) at the blonde haired stranger.

    "YOU CAN'T HAVE MICHI EITHER! NOT YOU, NOT HAKKAI, NOT YUZUHA, AND DEFINITELY NOT THAT BIG FORHEADED GORILLA!" Keisuke all but screams with a finger pointed directly at Manjiro.

    Was Takemichi still passed out or something—?

    Before the curly haired boy could entertain the idea of having another pain induced dream, Takemichi is forced to fling his arms around Keisuke's neck as he runs in the direction of their apartment complex, a screaming Manjiro following very close behind them.

    Takemichi resigns to the inevitable fate of having no free will and closes his eyes with a huff.

    He hopes he gets to see that stranger again...especially since he said he has a cat...

    That's how the afternoon ended: Takemichi being swept away by a feral boy while being chased by a clingy black eyed brat.

And a blonde haired stranger crushing over a 'girl' that he just met.

What a very, very strange afternoon.

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